


Choices

by PlayfulMay



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Romantic Gestures, Sexual Tension, Swan Queen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-16 17:30:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 92,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8111122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlayfulMay/pseuds/PlayfulMay
Summary: This is a series of shorts on Regina Mills opening up to Emma Swan, and the choices she makes along the way.





	1. Sleeping

Regina awoke with a sharp inhale and a blank stare up at her ceiling. Everything was dark, but she was comfortable, and for that she was most thankful. She immediately recalled - as she had so many other mornings - her earlier life, and the sadness those memories brought her. She had been controlled, ignored, pushed, and unloved. She had always felt alone, and so she often was in her dreams - alone.

Taking a deep breath in, she turned to her phone and unplugged it from her bedside to hold it close to her chest, smiling to think of Henry. If nothing else had worked out as beautifully as she had hoped, there was always Henry.

When the phone started to vibrate, Regina was startled. She clumsily lost her phone in the sheets before finally checking the screen to see that "Take it easy on her" was calling. Then Regina smiled at her own choice of names for contacts in her phone. It was something that often helped her in such tense moments. And after all, she DID need to take it easy on Emma. The previous night, Emma had taken her very kindly out for dinner to discuss Henry's school issues, and driven her home when the rain came down in icy sheets. Emma had been much softer with her as of late, and Regina respected the tenderness.

"Take it easy on her" lit up again on her phone, and after clearing her throat and sitting up, Regina answered it.

"Miss Swan," she said coolly, as if she'd been awake for hours. "What can I do for you?"

Emma on the other end couldn't help but smile at the sharpness of Regina's tone. She could picture the brunette having taken the first few rings to collect herself - still snippy after all that. "Not really something you can do - I just have no idea what Henry has due for class tomorrow. I had a nightmare that he failed school, so I thought I'd ask."

Regina sighed silently and looked over to her alarm clock which was reading 5:36 and shook her head with the beginnings of a smile: "So you decided to call me at this ungodly hour?"

"You mean you're not already at your office?" Emma teased, her grin knitting itself into her words.

Regina chuckled naturally, clearing her throat as soon as she noticed the instinct. "Henry has no big projects due today, and it's Friday, so I would imagine you could ... relax, Miss Swan."

"K," Emma exhaled, her stress clearly assuaged for the moment. "Thanks ... and sorry to call so early. I guess I didn't realize."

Regina felt herself relaxing as well and forgetting old unpleasant memories as Emma spoke, making a fool of herself. Regina smiled at the irritating ability for Emma to soothe her, quickly tightening her lips at the thought.

"I'll recover. Is there anything else, Miss Swan?"

"Yeah, how were you last night after I dropped you off? You ... seemed a little upset."

"I most certainly did not," Regina quickly quipped from earlier days when her state of mind aggravated Regina to no end. She hated her own emotions for the weakness that they were. But when she realized she had snapped at Emma again, she sighed.

Emma waited for Regina as she always did when she was snapped at over their phone conversations. Regina often took a moment or two to regroup, and Emma had found that if she didn't interrupt, it allowed for Regina to piece together a reluctant apology so they could move on.

"I ... appear to be in need of waking," Regina finally offered lamely, uncomfortable with her own inability to properly apologize. "I'm ... sorry, Miss Swan."

"It's fine," Emma smiled, rolling in her own bed from across town. Closing her eyes to the closeness she often felt with Regina, despite their public bickering. "So, was dinner last night really okay?"

After all, Emma understood the need to snap. She had developed feelings for Regina months ago, and being unable to speak about them with anyone had her uncomfortable on edge. Emma had reasoned with herself, however, that nothing would come of it, so she had let it go. But enjoying dinner with Regina had kept her smiling all evening. Regina - despite her tendencies toward sarcasm and reluctance in Emma's company - had admirable traits and an almost unfathomable depth. She was beautiful in that ocean of pain she insisted on treading.

"You know it was," Regina brushed off, finally bringing herself to stand so she felt she could end their conversation. Whenever their conversations turned gentle, Regina felt the need to close them. It was why they had left the restaurant promptly after eating their main courses. "Now, Miss Swan, if you don't mind, I really must be getting back to sleep."

Regina was pacing - Emma could it over the phone but chose not to comment on it. Instead Emma turned onto her back with her eyes still closed, allowing herself to imagine Regina slipping in next to her in bed. Cuddling against her because she needed it. Emma smiled and spooned her fistfuls of comforters in Regina's absence, humming her content at the thought of soothing the woman she had grown to love.

"Are you falling asleep on me?!" Regina whispered, should Henry hear she was having a conversation with Emma at that ungodly hour. "Because if you've called me and woken me just to fall asleep once you've aggravated me-"

"Calm down," Emma chuckled, holding her comforters tight. Nestling her face into her pillow. "Just relax. Go back to sleep."

"An act I find will be next to impossible after all this," Regina quipped, rolling her eyes at Emma's comfortingly slurring voice. It made Regina wonder what it was like to be comforted back to sleep. "I ... I think I'll just get up."

"Nooo, don't," Emma moaned softly, and Regina's smile fell. She listened closely, silently as Emma continued: "Come on ... just lie down and sleep. Think of being all curled up in warm blankets and forget about work."

Regina pushed it immediately out of mind along with Emma's tone of voice - as if she were asking Regina back to bed with her - and cleared her throat again seriously. "I have to go, Miss Swan."

"Fine, fine," Emma groaned, turning in her own bed with a pout Regina could only imagine. "Be that way. But when you're tired all day, don't go blaming me."

"I most certainly will," Regina insisted, curtly listing a goodbye she heard echoed back before hanging up.

It took two minutes for Regina to slip back into bed, allowing for Emma's earlier words to coax her: _just lie down and sleep ... think of being all curled up in warm blankets ... and forget about work ... ___

__Regina tucked herself in, pulling the comforters up to her chin, twisting onto her side with a brimming smile at the thought that Emma would never know she was doing exactly as she asked. And Regina closed her eyes, forgetting everything but that strong and loving voice that so often washed over her._ _

__"Mmm ..." Regina sighed, cuddling up in her wealth of comforters. She _was _all alone, but with soothing words in mind, she found she didn't mind it quite so much._ _ __


	2. Shots

"I once had a thing for this guy named Tommy who reminded me a little too much of Harry Potter," Emma snorted, lifting a shot to imply that Regina should lift hers as well. When they toasted one another, Emma chuckled and shot back her drink, not noticing how closely Regina was watching her or that a faint smile had graced those red lips.

"Alright ... your turn, Madam Mayor," Emma grinned, setting the shot glass down on the bar. "What was your strangest crush?"

Maybe it was the way Regina looked at her then, or that she took too long to respond, or that a jazzy version of "I'll be watching you" began to play live on stage, but Emma lost her breath. Regina was looking at her in an entirely new way. Like she was answering in silence.

But then, recovering somewhat clumsily, Regina cleared her throat and smiled down at her empty shot glass: "Yes ... I ... have had some strange crushes, but ... none I wish to discuss."

"Cop out."

Regina smiled, tossing a glance back to Emma with friendship in her eyes. "Mmm hmm. Well, so be it."

"No fair," Emma whined as only she could, earning a beat of laughter from Regina.

"Life's not fair, Dear."

"Then make it better," Emma whined again, but the sentiment caught Regina by surprise - staring up at Emma until the song had ended, thinking of what that implied. Make it better. Make a lifetime of injustice better. As the song tapered out, Regina simply blinked down at her glass, hoping she hadn't been as transparent as she imagined she was.

"I ... no one can do that, Miss Swan."

Over the sound of the piano accompaniment, Regina just made out the words from the woman at her side: "... They can try."


	3. Popcorn

Henry was celebrating the last day of school before summer with a bowlful of popcorn. He was seated between his two mothers watching a movie Regina deemed inappropriate when he suddenly got to his feet and handed Regina the popcorn.

"I'm gonna get us some sodas," he beamed, his pure joy bringing a smile to both his mother's faces. "Do you guys want anything?"

"I will take a _water _," Regina sassed with perfectly pursed lips.__

__"Yeah, and just to see the juggling act, I'll get a soda," Emma chuckled, leaning back while Henry hopped toward the kitchen with glee. Emma dared a glance over to Regina, remembering two weeks earlier when they had shared shots together in almost friendly circumstances. In between, of course Regina had made it her goal to distance herself, but Emma was beginning to see through the act. Regina had a heart in there, despite what she tried to make others feel with her standoffish behaviour and her cold responses._ _

__As if on cue, Regina clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and sighed down at the popcorn bowl: "I can't believe you two eat this buttered mess." She was rolling her eyes as she tucked the bowl just to the side of her on the couch so it wouldn't make a mess on her new skirt._ _

__However, completely unaware that Regina had moved the bowl, Emma reached over to gather some popcorn without removing her eyes from the screen. Her arm moved from the back of the couch into Regina's lap, realizing with wide, shocked eyes that there was no bowl in place._ _

__Regina didn't move. Emma didn't move. The movie played on obliviously._ _

__Finally, after a very long two seconds, Regina looked down into her lap where Emma's hand had landed in claw-form between her thighs - frozen. The mayor took in a deep breath just as she noted Emma glancing over to her apologetically._ _

__"Remove your hand," Regina whispered, slapping Emma's hand away when the blonde simply pulled a face and shrugged. "Get! Out! Of! Here!"_ _

__Emma was trying desperately not to laugh as Regina slapped her limbs over to the other side of the couch when they heard Henry returning._ _

__When he rounded the corner, Regina appeared perfectly poised and Emma appeared frightened - leaning back with exaggeration into her corner of the couch._ _

__"Scared?" Henry laughed, setting down the drinks. "I couldn't have missed all the action already!"_ _

__"She's just making a big deal of nothing," Regina teased, rolling her eyes as Henry sat down between them and leaned in for his drink._ _

___ME?! _Emma mouthed behind his back, earning another eye-roll.__ _ _

____"You know, I'm really happy we could enjoy this together," Henry beamed, glancing at both of his moms before leaning back against Emma who was a natural cuddler._ _ _ _

____Regina tossed the two of them a glance, thinking for the first time that perhaps enjoying another's personal space was not a weakness after all._ _ _ _

____When Emma noticed Regina's sad eyes glancing back to the TV, she whispered to Henry: "I think your mom might need a few cuddles."_ _ _ _

____Henry grinned at Emma in a silent question Emma completely understood, and in one quick turn of events, Henry and Emma were dog-piling onto a very reluctant mayor._ _ _ _

____"What're you doing?!" Regina tried insisting seriously, accidentally laughing when Henry circled his arms around her and Emma threw herself over them dramatically. "What the - get off of me this instant!"_ _ _ _

____"We're just giving you a hug," Henry laughed, beaming with love at the strong hold he had on his mother. One he was not often seeking._ _ _ _

____Regina melted at the strong hug of her growing son, finally shifting fully onto her back on the couch to wrap her arms around Henry. Kissing the hair that had grown somewhat coarse since he was a baby. She held him tightly, smiling._ _ _ _

____Emma had retreated upon seeing that Regina relaxed and allowed herself to enjoy the cuddling, sitting back into the couch. When she glanced over and remembered Regina wore a skirt, and averted her eyes. It was with great frustration that she couldn't forget the image of Regina lying on the couch with her feet nearly tucked under Emma's thigh, knees leaning back against the cushion. Emma wanted not to be attracted to Regina. She had tried, but she had only ever succeeded in not being very clear with Regina about her feelings. But for how long would she be able to keep that up? Certainly not long if she stared openly at her ..._ _ _ _

____Regina was so resistant to ask Henry to give her space that they cuddled the entire movie, and fell asleep together on the couch. Once the credits rolled, Emma glanced up over Regina's knees to see her son fast asleep with deep, relaxed breaths. She was certain that Regina was still awake under him until she went to pick him up only to see a sight that shocked her._ _ _ _

____Regina was lost in sleep._ _ _ _

____Why did she have to be so perfect? Regina was an angel in her sleep - beautiful and peaceful and content._ _ _ _

____Not wanting to wake the sleeping mother and son or worry Regina with taking off unannounced, Emma turned off the TV and slept on the couch at the other side of the room._ _ _ _

____It was in the middle of the night that Regina woke up next to her sleeping son, smiling that for once, he was wrapped in against her. Could it be possible he no longer feared her? Could it be that he actually wanted her to protect him, or was it that he was only tired? Regina was deep in thought as a moan caught her attention on the other side of the room. Emma._ _ _ _

____Emma tossed and turned against the back of the couch, trying to wrap her arm around it. Regina smiled with her chin at the crown of her boy's head, watching Emma with confusion. What did she feel for Emma? And what did that mean if Emma could break through her exterior? Did that mean she'd grown weak?_ _ _ _

____Regina wondered in the dark why it was still so important she not be seen as having weaknesses when it was so clear she had an unconditional love for Henry. Would others really see her differently? She gave Henry another heartfelt hug and her eyebrows knitted together as she glanced over to the woman who had broken through to her so long ago._ _ _ _

____Emma blinked herself awake to darkness onto to notice that Regina sat on the couch at her side, looking down at her. Emma started to sit up, but Regina's hand went to her arm and she stilled in the silence of the chilled room._ _ _ _

____They both stared at each other - Emma reading into Regina's gaze with the moonlight lighting her eyes - and never said a word._ _ _ _

____Even after Regina rose toward Henry and glanced over her shoulder, they never said a thing. It was Regina's way of telling Emma she cared and she wasn't without feelings. It was Regina's way even with Henry lifted into her arms that she let Emma see she wasn't the cold soul she had been years ago._ _ _ _

____Emma watched after her with a look of longing that Regina tried convincing herself she hadn't seen._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to post about once a week.


	4. Traffic

Stuck in grid-lock traffic, Regina grumbled her frustrations to her smirking passenger.

"Good Lord - this is why I created organization the way I did under the curse!" Regina snapped, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles started turning white.

"Uh huh ... and that worked out well for you, did it?"

After all, Regina had been hated by all, and after she had come around to the side of righting her wrongs, others had come to change their perspectives of her. Emma certainly had.

Nonetheless, Regina rolled her eyes: "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, you like organization. We all get it."

Regina glared at Emma only to see the blonde smiling freely out her window, apparently oblivious to the energy between them.

With the car before them stopping short in the sudden movement of traffic, Regina pushed hard on her own brakes. Her hand darted out across her passenger's chest to ensure no one was hurt by the sudden stop.

Emma gasped with her head touching the headrest as the car came to a full stop, dropping her eyes to the palm pressed to her right breast through her tank top and bra. But she could still feel the warmth of Regina's arm pressed against her chest. She could still feel Regina's palm over a sensitive breast.

As Regina exhaled with relief at not having collided with anyone, she froze, realizing where her arm had gone. Without looking over, she tugged her arm back.

"Mother's instinct," Regina offered lamely, although it was the truth of the matter. Somehow, with the slow evolution of their friendship, however, it seemed to hold more weight.

"Is that all?" Emma teased, managing a smile when the shock had given way to a very different feeling.

"Yes," Regina insisted without looking back at Emma's grinning eyes.

"Mmm hmm."

Another five minutes in and Regina stepped on the brakes only to have Emma dart an arm out to _Regina's _chest.__

__Both hands clenched around the wheel, Regina looked down the silk blouse that was partially covered with a strong arm. She snapped her eyes up toward Emma only to find that Emma was no longer teasing, but staring at the Regina's pressed breasts._ _

__"And what kind of instinct is this ...?"_ _

__Emma slowly pulled her hand back, and awkward smile on her lips. "... Sheriff's instinct?"_ _

__"Was I suspected of carrying a firearm on my _chest _, Sheriff?"___ _

____Emma chuckled to herself, trying to forget how exciting it had felt to touch Regina. The sass of that wild brunette caught her off guard in a lovable fashion._ _ _ _

____Regina could think of many more teases to deliver - among them, perhaps the insinuation that she was carrying weaponry elsewhere on her person - but instead she opted to simply clear her throat and drive._ _ _ _

____"Sorry ..." Emma offered at last, trying desperately to forget how it had felt to reach out and touch Regina, no matter how humorous she had meant it._ _ _ _

____"No one's hurt ... that's what's important," Regina said plainly although her eyes were burning with curiosity about Emma's intentions. Could Emma have possible known what one touch could do to her or that Emma's intentional hand on her had started an alarmingly hot surge through her body from the back of her head down to her toes?_ _ _ _

____"Yeah, I guess," Emma offered, biting her lower lip as she watched Regina's focused profile for a greedy moment. "Didn't mean for things to go so quiet ..."_ _ _ _

____Regina exhaled, returning herself to as close to usual as possible to execute their usual chatter, but she couldn't seem to manage._ _ _ _

____"Don't go silent on me or anything ..." Emma teased nervously. Making obvious her insecurities about what she had just done._ _ _ _

____"I'm not scarred for life, Miss Swan," Regina answered with an impressively even tone. "I'll recover."_ _ _ _

____Emma sighed quietly, smiling out the window again. Regina risked a glance over to Emma, and was pleased to give herself the moment to wonder why exactly Emma's intentional touch had lit her body with an interesting desire._ _ _ _

____What would another intentional touch do? And how might Regina ever be bold enough about Miss Swan to ask her to try? Would she _ever _be brave enough to initiate such a thing - as silly or simply curious as it was.___ _ _ _

______"Now, where is this shop?" Regina said at last, hands loosening on the steering wheel as she took a turn down one of the side streets to navigate without concern._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Take a left up ahead," Emma said, leaning back in her chair._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You'd better be good with a map, Swan."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Emma laughed at Regina's tone, grinning with the air of familiarity: "Yeah, yeah. Just make your royal way to the intersection, alright Miss Queen?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's 'Your Majesty' to _you _," Regina muttered, hiding her smirk with style.___ _ _ _ _ _


	5. Tumbling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina Mills is controlling her feelings as best she can.

"Are you _insane _or just purposefully dense?" Regina snapped, gesturing out toward Emma with a glaring fire in her eyes. "He could have been killed!"__

__"On the swings?" Emma fired back, trying to keep her voice from reaching Regina's octave. One of them had to keep a calm head, and that certainly wasn't going to be Regina._ _

__"The swings?! You took him to the edge of a cliff and he almost fell off! He could have died, Miss Swan!"_ _

__Emma groaned, rolling her eyes. "It was just past the park into the woods, where he _asked _to go, and he did _not _almost fall off a cliff. You're exaggerating, Regina."_____ _

______"Am I? _Am I _?!"___ _ _ _ _ _

________"Yes! You are! He's not a newborn baby I threw off a mountain edge. It was a hill at most and he's already twelve! Even if he went down with a tumble, he wouldn't have _died _! He would have slid around and had a fun story to share with his friends."___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"And if he broke his neck?!" Regina suddenly stomped over to Emma and stepped right into her personal space, nostrils flaring with rage: "If you ever put my son in a situation that dangerous again-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"You'll what? Banish me forever? ... Yeah, I'm sure he'll take that well. And you're calling _me _insane? I was just trying to let him explore a little! Kids fall and get scratches all the time. You can't stop him from living."___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"I'm _keeping _him living," Regina answered with uncharacteristically awkward phrasing. It seemed to only happen when she was wildly upset.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Emma watched the look in Regina's eyes turn from cold anger to a dissolving sort of pain and insecurity._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"He is the only thing I have," Regina said at last, staring into Emma's vivid eyes. "If you take him away from me ..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Suddenly it was clear to Emma her words weren't meant as a threat. They were a confession - Regina didn't feel she had anyone close to her but Henry. Her son was the only person she loved. It was the sadness in Regina's eyes that Emma saw first._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"I can't see him hurt ..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"I'll ... be more careful next time, alright? I just don't like being screamed at."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Regina took a step back, blinking away the ferociousness of her eyes as best she could: "I wasn't screaming. I was ... yelling."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"I don't like being yelled at either."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Regina sighed, looking down suddenly at her feet. "I'm ... sorry ..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Had Emma heard that right? The sheriff stood awkwardly awaiting what Regina would say next._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"I ... might have overreacted."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Th-thanks."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Regina looked up at Emma and felt the connection that usually only came from small touches she shared with the infuriating sheriff. Through a prolonged and meaningful glance, Regina found it gave her the same confusing feelings. It was a longing to be closer - suddenly she understood the feeling. The tingling up her spine, causing her to shiver. She wanted to be closer to Emma._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Emma Swan? Regina shook her head. "Let's just ... forget this ever happened. I'm sure he's ... alright."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Yeah, somehow he'll survive," Emma muttered sarcastically with a smirk hidden in her shoulder as she turned to leave Regina's immaculate office._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Um ... Sheriff?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Emma swiftly turned back around - brows lifted in question._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"I'm ... trying not to use my power to ... control anyone anymore."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________It was another apology, although somewhat blanketed. Regardless, Emma smiled brightly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Don't worry, you don't control me, Regina."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Well, I'm controlling myself," Regina sassed in return, only realizing how it sounded after she'd spoken. Her eyes went wide when Emma shot her a teasingly salacious grin._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Why Mayor Mills ... are you saying-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Save it," Regina said as seriously as she could, gesturing to her door. "I have work to do, Miss Swan. No more nonsense today."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She waited until Emma had gone to plop down into her chair, wondering where those strong feelings had come from, and why she was just beginning to understand them. Closeness? With Emma? Had her body lost its mind? It was an unconscious craving that seemed to only trouble Regina more as the sheriff walked off and closed the door behind her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Damnit," Regina muttered to herself, swatting a short stack of papers to the ground._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	6. Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanting Emma closer only confuses her ...

Regina was just sitting down to a quick meal at Granny's between work meetings when a guest slid themselves into the booth. Regina looked up at the set of eyes locking on hers from across the table.

"Since there was no room for nonsense yesterday," Emma teased, obviously quite pleased with herself she had managed to startle Regina. "Maybe you have time now? For lunch."

"I most certainly do not," Regina replied quietly, lowering her eyes immediately to her food. Cutting her chicken with her utensils appropriately placed in her hands. The act was so quaint, it made Emma want to reach out and take a piece of the chicken with her fingers. Since they sat in the public diner, however, Emma restrained herself.

"I'll have what she's having," Emma announced when Granny walked past, stopping the restaurant owner in her tracks.

"You don't want your special?" Granny smiled, glancing somewhat curiously between the two women sitting together without a particular reason.

Regina caught the glance out of the corner of her eye, cutting into her chicken once again and speaking without lifting her focus: "Miss Swan was just leaving, actually."

"Can we share then?" Emma asked, as if she thought Regina might allow it. She reached out toward the brunette's plate.

The growl that escaped from the back of Regina's throat almost had Granny laughing - seeing the outburst of such a controlled and well-mannered woman completely startling.

"Alright alright," Emma teased, leaning back in her seat. "I don't think I'll be staying, Granny. Maybe just a hot chocolate, thanks."

"If you say so," Granny hummed merrily, walking off to leave a scowling mayor with a guiltily grinning sheriff.

"It's ... my time of the month?" Emma grinned a little wider: "Would you take that as an excuse for the teasing?"

At the joke, Regina had to focus not to smile. Instead, she shook her head only once and foused back on her plate: "You're an idiot."

Somehow, it didn't sound as insulting as it could have.

"Hey, I meant to ask you about Henry's project - I was right, by the way! He does have one, but it's due next week."

Regina paused with a mouthful of food, eyebrows knitting together quizically. She had clearly not known of the project.

"Yeah, the one with ... the solar system or whatever."

Regina finished with the food to clear her throat: "And ... when is this due?"

"Next week. I asked his teacher. It's due next week. I knew I saw a page of it somewhere! See? I knew it," Emma smiled, sitting up a little straighter when Regina looked saddened with the news. "Are you okay?"

"I ... I usually help him with his projects."

"Well, he's getting older. Maybe he didn't want anyone's help."

Regina picked at her food for a moment: "I guess that's ... possible."

"Hey," Emma said softly, reaching over to Regina's plate to regain the mayor's attention - lifting a small piece of chicken for herself. Instead of slapping Emma's hand away, Regina simply looked at her, blinking. "What do you say we prank him?"

Regina couldn't help but smile, crossing her arms shyly over her chest while Emma picked another piece of chicken from Regina's plate as the mayor had all but abandoned the meal.

"I mean it! We could totally tell him we're planet experts - you know, slide it into the conversation. And then when he's thinking he might need us this time, we could mention how busy we'll be all weekend! What do you think?"

Regina rolled her eyes with every attempt at holding back her smile: "Miss Swan, I am not _pranking _my son into getting a poor grade in Science."__

__"Awww, why not?" Emma pouted, allowing Regina to see the more playful side of Emma. It was a side to Regina that the brunette had never been able to embrace. Not even in childhood. But Emma reminded her of her body's need to play, and her mind's need to let loose. Emma presented silliness in an attractive - if not embarrassing - package. In that moment, Regina wanted to give in. She wanted to do something wild. But she also felt like everyone was watching her. Then again, people _were _often watching her. She was the mayor after all.___ _

____"I ... have to get back to the office."_ _ _ _

____"But you barely touched your food?"_ _ _ _

____Suddenly the care and affection she could feel radiating off of Emma was drowning Regina. It was too much. It was too obviously tender. It caused Regina to panic._ _ _ _

____Narrowly forgetting to pay, Regina rushed out of the diner with some excuse or another, and hurried back to her house where she plopped herself down on the couch and calmed her breathing. She wanted to play Emma's games. She _wanted _to let loose. Had she lost her mind? Regina had never needed to let loose before, and nor had she ever wanted to need another person but Henry.___ _ _ _

______With Emma suddenly bringing new feelings that confused her, Regina laid with her eyes closed and made herself think of the things she wanted for herself. Regina wanted closeness. She wanted the capability of playfulness. She wanted the sincerity and tenderness of a woman with bravery and thoughtfulness and a difficult past. Wait, a _woman _?___ _ _ _ _ _

________When there was a knock at the door, Regina dragged herself up from the couch and combed her hands through her hair. When she saw Emma standing with her hands tucked into jean pockets on the other side, Regina sighed against the door._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"What do you want, Swan?" Regina asked through the door, staring down at the knob that taunted her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She heard Emma chuckling from the other side: "Usually when a person knocks, it means they want you to open the door?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Regina smiled, silently cursing her own reaction. Emma had simply spent too much time with her. Emma was just confusing her. She needed some time away from her. "No ... I ... I'm much too busy."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Right ..." Emma said with a roll of her own eyes, holding up a take-out bag in front of the peephole before setting it back down on the welcome mat. "I'll just ... leave your leftovers here then I guess."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________As much as Regina wanted to tease her back, she wanted more to forget what was happening to her around Emma. She wanted to be herself again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Slowly but surely, Regina stood with her back to the door, sliding to the ground as she listened to Emma's steps retreating down the walkway. Regina didn't need anyone - she never would. She never, ever would._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	7. Closeted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry's solution to the space between his mothers.

It was almost a month before Regina was face-to-face with Emma again. It was Henry's birthday party, and as much as Regina had been avoiding Emma, she had missed having a friend. It was difficult, having no one she trusted to speak with about her days.

Emma, for her part, was not actively seeking out Regina. The whole evening, she had been actively avoiding Regina as well. After a few incidences of Regina ignoring her efforts, Emma had been offended and had distanced herself from Regina as well. The two women were not getting along.

Henry had noticed the change, and watched as his two mothers awkwardly ignored one another just after dinner from across the room. Henry shook his head at the behaviour, thinking of the plan he had formed. His mothers couldn't ignore one another - what sense did that make? It certainly made things more difficult for him as he wasn't able to see them both together. He was always having to choose. So instead of settling himself with the idea, Henry had an idea. It had only taken the request of a family party in Emma's apartment for his plan to come into play.

As soon as he saw Regina had gone down the hall to the washroom, he went over and asked Emma to speak with him down the same hall. When he heard the bathroom door click open, Henry gasped in the direction of the closet behind Emma, insisting he had seen light shining from below the door. Regina rushed over at the look on her son's face.

"I ... I saw green light, and then it all went away," he lied convincingly, the lie still causing Emma to furrow her brows.

"Zelena," Regina cursed under her breath, turning the knob of the small closet just as Emma started to voice her concerns about Henry's claims. "Oh, so you want to gamble with a threat like Zelena?" Regina snapped, pulling open the closet door only to be shoved inside along with Emma - the women falling against each other before the closet door closed behind them, encasing them in total darkness.

"Sorry, Moms," Henry said through the door as quietly as he could, propping the chair he had left in the hallway against the closet knob. Angling the chair to trap his mothers inside. "I'll be back in ten minutes. Please ... please talk. I promise I'll be right back."

Regina reached for the doorknob at her side: "Henry! You get back here!"

"Henry!" Emma called, also reaching for the knob to let them out when her hand met with Regina's hip. It was the soft material of her pencil skirt that Emma felt and paused at, sliding her hand at what was not at all the wood of a door when her hand was promptly slapped away.

"I'm not the door!" Regina hissed quietly, grabbing Emma's wrist and bringing the slender hand over to the knob of the door. "THIS is the door, you idiot."

"I wasn't the idiot who fell for Henry's games," Emma teased despite her greater efforts to put on an icy facade. She hadn't wanted to be so playful, but Regina brought it out in her. With so many others, she was always the saviour, but with Regina she was just some goofy idiot. And in the strangest way, Emma enjoyed that. It gave her a sense of freedom she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt like she always had the ability to change in Regina's eyes. She could be a chameleon changing with whatever actions she chose from moment-to-moment. She was free.

"Well how the hell are we gonna get out of here with no magic and that loud party going on?" Regina asked, sighing against the door.

"I guess it's too much to assume that you might actually just talk to me."

Regina closed her eyes the dark, leaning her head against the door before slowly turning in the tight space. She knew Emma must have been pressing herself as tightly as she could to the other side because there was hardly the physical space for two bodies, let along any space _between _them.__

__"Emma ..."_ _

__There was interest in Emma's eyes at the term of endearment from Regina, wondering what it meant. What was Regina telling her? What was Regina about to say?_ _

__"... I ... -ohmygod!" Regina gasped, pressing her entire body up against Emma's. "Was that a mouse?!"_ _

__As much as Emma sincerely enjoyed the feeling of Regina leaning onto her, she couldn't help but laugh._ _

__"Don't laugh at me!" Regina whispered, fear lacing her voice as she pushed impossibly further against Emma. "Do you have mice?!"_ _

__"I guarantee you I don't," Emma chuckled, "We're how many stories up and no one else has had any."_ _

__"Henry!" Regina hissed under her breath, beginning to pant as she turned with her back pressed to Emma. The panic was surrounding her. She couldn't take her breaths in quickly enough. "There's-mice-in-here-and-I-can't-get-out-and-"_ _

__Wordlessly, Emma interrupted Regina's panic by pulling Regina in the corner and crouching down. "Get on my back."_ _

__Instead of arguing that the plan was ludicrous as she wore a skirt, the serious fear of mice had Regina obeying - climbing onto Emma without question. Even though her skirt rode up her thighs, and Regina's arms laced desperately around Emma's neck for protection, Regina could breathe a little easier._ _

__With Regina's voice still quick and fearful over her shoulder, Emma shook her head: "That kid is dead, I'll tell you that."_ _

__Regina couldn't even quip back another tease. She was too busy wondering if there were more mice or if they could climb walls. Did mice climb walls?_ _

__"Nothing to say?" Emma teased lightly, realizing just how scared Regina was in the dark in the tight space confronted with a terrible fear. Emma sighed and reached out to the closer door. "Alright, hold on tight - I'm breaking this fucking door."_ _

__"No, don't!" Regina whispered, holding on around Emma's neck a little tighter at the thought. Everyone would know how afraid she was of mice. Everyone would laugh at her. "No ..."_ _

__Emma immediately understood. She knew many of Regina's insecurities, but she didn't know what to do. She wanted to help her. "Well ... how do you even know it was a mouse?"_ _

__"Because it had little legs that ran over my foot! Unless cockroaches infest your apartment on a regular basis-"_ _

__"Cockroaches?!" Emma gasped, backing onto the wall with such a thud that Regina groaned._ _

__"Unfff!"_ _

__"Sorry," Emma said as calmly as she could, getting a stronger grip on herself. "Sorry ... it's fine. It's nothing, probably."_ _

__And then Emma felt something run over her boot, but she didn't panic. Even with a fear of cockroaches that ran back into a traumatizing memory from her childhood, Emma didn't let herself get caught up in it for Regina's sake. Regina needed her, and she wouldn't let Regina down._ _

__"Let's just ... just hold on, alright? I'm gonna get us out of here."_ _

__"Okay," Regina said shakily, clinging to Emma in a way that spoke of past cruelties Regina had been made to endure. Emma didn't know of the past, but regardless, she aimed to make the moment better._ _

__Regina's head rested on Emma's shoulder, accidentally inhaling through Emma's thick, curly hair. It was comforting, she found. The scent of Emma was truly comforting._ _

__Emma turned the door handle and pushed. Nothing. She pushed again and again - nothing. Then she warned Regina and tried with her hip._ _

__"Sorry ... you might have to uh ... stand," Emma suggested, feeling the tension and fear in Regina's body as the mayor reluctantly nodded on her shoulder and slipped off her back. "It'll be okay."_ _

__Gasping again, Regina held her chest to Emma's back - arms looping under Emma's arms to hold the sheriff closely. No one else in Storybrooke knew of her fear except Henry, but even Henry didn't know the depth of it. Likely, Emma understood how troubling it was for her, but since Emma knew, Regina couldn't seem to stop herself from clinging to her. She was petrified and shaking._ _

__Emma angrily glared at the door, hammering both fists against it and then ushering Regina back to ram it with her hip again. When that didn't work, she stood back with Regina and kicked just aside the knob._ _

__Outside the closet, David was humming to himself on the way to the washroom when the closet door broke at the knob in splinters. With the bang, David, looked with complete confusion to the two women scurrying out - frowning at them. Emma was scouring the floor with her eyes and Regina was shivering and swatting at her ankles._ _

__"What ..." David asked with great confusion, arching a strong brow. "... Was that?"_ _

__At the same time, both women called out: "HENRY?!"_ _

__After grounding Henry to his room without electronics for the next two weeks, Emma spoke with Henry about the mouse, and found that he was telling the truth when he said he had no idea what she was talking about._ _

__"I know mom's afraid - I would never do that. I didn't mean to hurt anyone," he had said honestly, apologizing to both of his mothers before saying goodbyes to the rest of the family and putting on his coat._ _

__Regina was still not herself as she went to put on her coat - everyone else getting back to the conversations by the kitchen with Emma slowly making her way with Regina and Henry to the door._ _

__"Do you ... want me to see you two home?" Emma asked seriously, trying not to stare at Regina. She knew Regina was in a sensitive state. She was still shaken._ _

__"We'll manage, thank you," Regina said curtly, not intending anything as cold as it sounded. She slipped on her gloves and prompted her son: "Say goodbye, Henry."_ _

__"I didn't mean you to be so upset," he said sadly, hugging his shaken mother. "I'm sorry, Mom."_ _

__"It's alright," Regina lied, putting on a smile for him. "I'll be fine as long as you never try anything like that ever again."_ _

__"Never."_ _

__"Go grab my mail, Kid," Emma said, ruffling Henry's hair. "I just need to decide with your mom how much of a punishment you're getting exactly."_ _

__Henry put on his best face of innocence: "Okay, but I only did it so you two would talk again ..."_ _

__"Yeah, well we're talking about your punishment," Emma sassed: "Congratulations."_ _

__Henry grumbled and walked out into the hall as Regina turned to the steady sheriff. "Thank you, Miss Swan ... for ... everything."_ _

__"He really shouldn't get away with this."_ _

__"Not just for assuming the disciplinarian role for the moment," Regina breathed, still trying to calm herself. "But ... for helping me. When you saw I ... when ..."_ _

__"Don't mention it," Emma said kindly, making sure she was turned away from the group when she locked eyes with Regina. Frightened, lonely Regina. She hadn't even recognized Regina in her moment of fear, and Emma hadn't liked that one bit. She had the strongest desire to make Regina forget the whole thing had ever happened. She had a strong desire to hug her._ _

__"I guess any contact is strictly forbidden ...?" Emma teased without a smile._ _

__Regina cleared her throat, smiling as best she could. "Goodnight, Miss Swan."_ _

__"It might make you feel better."_ _

__Regina's eyes skirted over the crowd behind Emma - an instinct that didn't go unnoticed. "No, it's ... I need to be getting home. Goodnight."_ _

__"Night," Emma sighed, watching Regina go just as Henry raced over past Regina to hand Emma her mail._ _

__"So? ... What's the damage?"_ _

__"We're still deciding," Emma answered, eyes flickering briefly over to Regina in a way that told Henry it was all worthwhile. "I'll let you know tomorrow. Just ... take it easy on your mom. Do something nice for her tonight, alright?"_ _

__"Something nice?" Henry wondered aloud._ _

__"Yeah, give her lots of hugs, and if she needs some space, give it to her."_ _

__Henry shrugged: "Okay."_ _

__"Night, Kid."_ _

__Emma smiled when Henry rushed to follow after the weary Regina - hugging his mother to his side. Regina was going to be alright._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since there is very little feedback or reaction to this story, I have been writing it mainly for my fiancee, so posting might fall behind! Busy times.


	8. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina calls Emma when she can't sleep.

It was late the night of Henry's family birthday party when Emma heard her cell phone buzzing. Everyone had left and she had even tucked herself into bed once she heard the buzzing and turned to see who was calling her. Regina.

Without thought, Emma answered the phone. "Hello?"

"That's no way to answer your phone," Regina said simply, causing Emma to smile intently.

"Uh huh ... well, sorry to disappoint, _Your Majesty _."__

__Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes as she laid on her back in her own bed at the term of endearment coming from Emma._ _

__"How's this?" Emma started, clearing her throat: "Saviour speaking."_ _

__"Dreadful," Regina smiled, rolling onto her side with a deep breath in and out._ _

__"Well since you're in such a chipper mood and you've called me in the middle of the night, what can I do for you?"_ _

__"Hardly the middle of the night, Miss Swan."_ _

__"Oh no you don't! You don't get to call me around midnight and then address me as _Miss Swan _. No no no."___ _

____Regina laughed for a few beats before tucking the reaction away. "Sorry ... to have called."_ _ _ _

____Emma straightened her teasing: "No ... I'm glad you called, Regina."_ _ _ _

____There was silence for a moment._ _ _ _

____"I ... I hope you're alright. After the whole closet thing," Emma asked more than said._ _ _ _

____"Yeah ... I'm fine. I'm just ... having trouble sleeping."_ _ _ _

____"You know, I meant what I said about a hug. A good hug can be very soothing. Remember when you fell asleep with Henry on the couch after he was hugging you? That was pretty cute."_ _ _ _

____Seeing as Emma hadn't even tried at disguising the glee in her voice, Regina teased her._ _ _ _

____"You were watching me?"_ _ _ _

____"Just Henry," Emma lied. "He's a cute sleeper."_ _ _ _

____Regina smiled, closing her eyes to Emma's voice. "Yes ... he is. He always has been."_ _ _ _

____"Did he apologize for trapping us in there?"_ _ _ _

____"Only about a hundred times since we got back," Regina chuckled. "What on earth did you say to him?"_ _ _ _

____"I told him to take care of you," Emma exhaled, being serious because she couldn't find it in herself to joke about Regina's well-being. "Sometimes ... we all need to be taken care of, Regina. No matter how much we don't want it. We need it."_ _ _ _

____Regina inhaled and curled up with her covers and sheets, feeling lonely suddenly that she had no partner to share them with. "I ... don't ... know what to say."_ _ _ _

____"If you get scared tonight ... call me," Emma said. Stretching out in her own bed. "I want you to, Regina. I ... always liked being friends. And ... you can trust me. I won't tell anyone about the mice."_ _ _ _

____Regina's silent reaction was hard to read over the phone, so Emma continued._ _ _ _

____"... Cora?"_ _ _ _

____"I don't want to talk about it."_ _ _ _

____"Well, regardless," Emma smiled, "I know it wasn't Henry if anything _was _in there to scare you. I think his little prank had different intentions. Just like me, Henry wants us to be friends again."___ _ _ _

______"You thought we were friends?" Regina asks with a voice so broken, Emma ached to hold her. Instead, Emma closed her eyes and exhaled._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Everyone needs a friend ... I'd like to be yours, Regina."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Why? ... You already have so many friends, Miss Swan."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well, no one reminds me of my uselessness and idiot decisions quite like you do," Emma teased, "You ... keep me grounded. And I know you'd be there if I needed help ... if we were friends, of course."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I ... didn't know we were friends," Regina admitted. "I always thought you spoke with me only for Henry? About Henry."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Not only for him."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm not very ... good at friendships."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's easy - I'll teach you," Emma beamed with the covers tucked under her chin. "I know some others who would love to be pals with you. But we'll start things slow. How about ... we meet at the docks tomorrow morning?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm busy tomorrow, unfortunately. How is Wednesday?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Good! Sounds good," Emma grinned. "But if you get to pick the day, I get to pick the place."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Oh lord, what have I done?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You'll like it," Emma laughed openly, setting a very lovely smile to Regina's lips. "I know it. If you give it a chance, you'll like it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"If this is some sort of illegal vicinity-"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Emma laughed and laughed, forgetting about her own worries of the day. Enjoying in the witty sass available to her via the most intelligent woman she had ever known. "I assure you it's not, but I like where you went with it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Fine. I'll see you Wednesday then."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Emma's laughter tapered off as she snuggled in against her blanket: "Night Regina."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Goodnight Miss Swan."_ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments on the last chapter. It's nice to know some readers are enjoying the ride.


	9. Bowling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma shows Regina the joys of friendship.

Regina looked into the mirror at the image she made, rolling her eyes at the look. When she had enquired as to what she should wear, Emma had said "Jeans - you can't go wrong with jeans," so Regina had found one of the only pair of jeans she owned. It was a dark wash boot cut that she had paired with a loose Rolling Stones shirt just to spite the tease Emma had delivered over the phone about something tight.

Admitting to herself she looked somewhat lacking, Regina had to smile. There was no way it was going to seem like a date. It wasn't a date. It was simply Regina and Emma "hanging out" as friends, as Emma had so eloquently put it.

"Mom?" Henry asked, walking around the corner to the confusing sight of his mother in very relaxed attire. He had meant to ask if he could have another piece of dessert, but was completely distracted by the unfamiliar look. "Is ... everything alright?"

"I ... am meeting with Miss Swan," Regina answered, just then realizing it was strange to go so far outside of her comfort zone for Emma. Or was that what friends did?

"Cool, so I get the house to myself?" Henry asked sweetly, free of malice.

Regina smiled and gestured for Henry to step into the room. "Henry ... come here. I know you were trying to fix things at the party last weekend, but you're being punished because you know better than to go around forcing people to fix their problems."

He sighed and nodded sadly.

"I know you wish Miss Swan and I were closer, and we try every day for you, Dear, but ... some people just fight, Henry. Some people get on each other's nerves."

"And that means they can't be friends?"

Regina thought honestly about her son's question and couldn't help but deflate at his accidental point. "Yes ... they could. I just ... I don't see a typically close bond happening between myself and Miss Swan."

"Why not?"

"Because ... because I'm not the sort of person who grew up with best friends."

"But you've changed, Mom."

"Henry-"

"You've changed! I know you have, and I just want you to see it for yourself," Henry insisted, eyes pleading with his mother for understanding: "There's only one person who seems to get you at all, and that's Emma. I don't want you to push her away or hurt her, and I don't want her to run away from you!"

When Henry turned to storm off, Regina called out to him: "Henry!"

He paused for a moment.

"Henry ... I'm sorry. For you, I'll try."

And then he was gone.

Regina ran a hand through what she considered to be messy hair, and grabbed one of her designer purses only to chuckle at herself. Yeah, boot cut jeans and a Gucci purse. That made sense.

Instead, she simply took out her ID, some money, her phone and her keys, and tucked them each into one of her larger fall jackets that hung in the foyer closet.

As soon as Regina saw Emma's car pull up to the curb, Regina called up to remind Henry she would be back in a few hours and closed the door behind her - jogging out toward the curb.

Emma had been blasting rock music in her car when she saw some woman jogging from Regina's front door - openly gasping when she noticed who it was. Instead of wearing heels and designer clothes, Regina Mills was in casual attire, and because of the practical shoes, she had taken to jogging. Jogging of all things! Emma's eyes went wide as she took in the sight. Had Regina dressed that way because Emma had teased her over the phone about the stylish fashion she always used? Did Regina not want to be complimented or seen as attractive? Emma quickly swallowed back any possible teases as Regina smiled her way into the car. Ducking in and closing the door in behind her.

"I figured we'd better get a start on this 'hanging out' premise you've thought up," Regina sighed, reaching over to do up her seat belt over the bulky brown jacket left hanging open to reveal her grey graphic t-shirt.

Emma just blinked at her, unable to speak.

"Oh come on - I don't look _that _bad," Regina laughed, causing Emma to laugh in turn. Trying not to watch the fluid way Regina spoke to her. This Regina was much more relaxed than the Regina Emma saw from day-to-day. What side of Regina was this and why hadn't Emma ever seen it before?__

__"I'm sorry. Off we go," Emma smiled back, taking them for a scenic route to the town bowling alley._ _

__Once they walked inside, Regina seemed to relax again - recognizing no one. She offered to pay, but Emma insisted as it had been her idea, so Regina teased her._ _

__"I thought friends went Dutch. Isn't that the saying?"_ _

__Emma chuckled: "You want to split a bowling alley bill with me?"_ _

__"Sure, why not?"_ _

__"Alright, we'll split it then, good sir," Emma laughed, slapping the counter with enthusiasm at Regina's open playfulness with her. They continued to tease and joke with each other as they borrowed shoes that absolutely mortified Regina and found a lane._ _

__"I hate this - what if I get some kind of horrible shoe fungus?" Regina asked with disgust, shaking her hands at her sides even as she peeled off her coat._ _

__"Hey, I'll let you bowl first if you stop complaining," Emma teased lightly, watching the disgust on Regina's face fade to the knowing smirk that often settled on painted lips. But this time, they were unpainted. And Emma found herself staring all the more for it._ _

__"Wise ass."_ _

__"Do you want to go first or me?" Emma chuckled, "Because I'll beat you either way."_ _

__"You only wish!"_ _

__"With neither of us using magic? Fifty bucks says I win."_ _

__Regina let out a burst of laughter, setting down her jacket on one of the plastic bucket seats. "Hah! I'm the _mayor _, Miss Swan. I can't very well gamble - much less over a game of bowling."___ _

____"What would you like to be caught doing then?" Emma insinuated as any good friend would do - encouraging the other to elaborate on something ill-advised._ _ _ _

____"Not gambling," Regina teased back, her eyes locking too seriously on Emma's for a moment too long. "Let's just leave it at that ..."_ _ _ _

____When Regina left Emma sitting there in her plastic seat, all Emma could do was stare after her. She had thought taking Regina bowling would throw her off her game, but Regina seemed to be perfectly able to handle herself in all situations. She had even managed to surprise Emma. The butch look on Regina was working. Emma could almost imagine Regina dressing that way by choice every weekend, lounging around the house in a pair of ripped jeans and a t-shirt._ _ _ _

____Emma was so lost in the fantasy she nearly missed Regina's first attempt to bowl. It was clear right away Regina didn't know how, but that she had seen it on television. She picked up the ball, looked with an arched brow at the ball and adjusted for the weight of the damn thing. She was just about to throw it when Emma called her name gently from the seats behind the score screen._ _ _ _

____"Regina ...?"_ _ _ _

____"Yes, Miss Swan? _Must _you interrupt?"___ _ _ _

______"If you want me to give you a few tips ..."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Isn't this why you brought me out here? To humiliate me?" Regina quipped, turning Emma on. She could be so damn sassy when she wanted to be. So outrageously flirtatious - accidentally or not._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Just ... just don't throw it like that or you might break something."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Like the scoreboard?" Regina smirked, eyeing the pins at the end of the lane with narrowed, predatory eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______Emma stood from her seat to approach where Regina stood, speaking in smiles: "Yeah ... sure. But you're supposed to hold it like this." When Regina spun to look at her, Emma continued: "Can I show you?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Regina handed over the ball. "You're stealing my turn, aren't you?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No, watch," Emma smirked back, showing Regina the proper steps and the way to use the momentum from the ball as well as how to aim. She explained quickly, but when she handed the ball back to Regina, she was impressed with Regina's success. She bowled well, earning a spare. "Wow - you sure you've never done this before?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I never said I haven't done this before."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I could tell," Emma laughed, bowling next with a strike. She bowed and Regina tried not to notice how attractive Emma was with a bright, magnificent smile on her lips. Friends didn't notice each other's smiles, did they?_ _ _ _ _ _

______After a game of bowling that Emma won by a landslide, they lingered for a little while at the seats, talking. At first, they were untying their shoes and pulling on their jackets, but things slowed when their eyes met. They each found themselves somewhat reluctant to leave._ _ _ _ _ _

______"So this is what friendship is like," Regina smiled lovingly, and Emma melted completely against the seat._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It ... can be, yeah."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Regina had her legs together and back straight while Emma was sitting back in her seat with her knees open lazily. The difference in posture spoke volumes of each woman's temperament, and Regina had to smile when she realized the difference._ _ _ _ _ _

______"How do you ... sit like that? How can you stand it?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Emma snorted: "I don't know how you can sit like that."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Like _what _?"___ _ _ _ _ _

________"Like you've got a ..." Emma started, coughing into her hand. "Like you're a little tense. That's all."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Regina squinted at her: "You were going to say 'like I have a stick up my ass' weren't you?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I plead the fifth!" Emma laughed, dodging one of Regina's bowling shoes when it was hurdled at her. "I'm sorry! I give!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You owe me now, for thinking ill of me," Regina said as playfully as she could although it was clear her feelings were somewhat creased from Emma's comment. "I'm just going to bring our shoes back."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The whole ride home, Emma made sure to compliment Regina and thank her for the evening, finally seeing a smile on Regina's lips again in full when she'd pulled up in front of the mayor's mansion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You can quit coddling me - I'll be fine."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Emma smiled back: "Hey, I still owe you. I won't forget. You just call on me, and I will leap to my friendly duties. Got it?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I understand," Regina answered, rolling her eyes at Emma's poor spoken grammar. "Thank you for the ride, Miss Swan."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Hey, Regina?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Yes?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Emma sighed and thought of all the things she wanted to say to Regina, finally opting for the simplest, truest wish. "Have a good night, and take care of yourself."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Regina smiled back at her just as tenderly: "I always do, Miss Swan."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________It was the first night out Regina had ever enjoyed with a friend one-on-one without any sort of other schemes at play. She had gone out with Emma, enjoyed a game of bowling, had a fun talk, and neither woman was maimed. Maybe, Regina thought with a wide grin as she skipped up to her front step, friendship wasn't going to be so difficult._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	10. Unsatisfied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has trouble finding satisfaction alone.

Regina was lying in her bed on her own one Thursday evening when she felt a particular surge she couldn't ignore. She was wanton, and without a partner to sate her. With a sigh, Regina shoved her right hand under the blankets to try and work herself up sexually. She always found the act of masturbation rather lacking, but she always preferred the half-release of pleasing herself than the whole frustration of ignoring the need completely.

She licked her lips and closed her eyes, opening them again immediately when her mind had drifted to the confusing image of Miss Swan at the diner, smiling at her. Regina shook her head and imagined the last man she had been with, remembering the feeling of rocking over his body. She slowly pulled up her evening slip and smoothed her middle finger under the top of her matching panties. Once her hand had pressed down against herself, she smiled at the feeling of satisfaction. She had always enjoyed being touched.

When Emma's face entered her mind again, Regina froze - opening her eyes. What the hell was she doing? Emma was her friend - the only person acting like a friend to her - and she was going to sexualize her? Where had that come from? Certainly there was some fire between them, but Regina had figured it was mostly because they had been on opposite sides of right and wrong at one point. Since they had become united as allies, Regina had expected the feeling to taper off. But there was still something between them. Something ...

Regina dropped her head back and groaned. She couldn't even touch herself without imagining Emma?

After giving up on pleasure that evening, the night after, Regina decided to give in. She laid in bed the next night, figuring that she should let herself fantasize whatever she wanted. It didn't have to mean anything. And maybe the imaginings would tell Regina what she wanted to know: what it all meant.

Regina let her mind go blank as her hand drifted down into her shorts that night, wearing nothing underneath them. She moaned at the feel of the silk against her skin - the luxury of her sateen sheets - and arched into her own touch when the thought of a very agile, stronger hand excited her. Emma ...

Figuring she would get the image out of her system, Regina allowed herself to fantasize about Emma Swan crouching over her body. Touching her. Kissing down her neck.

It was such perfection to be pleased, Regina thought with a smirk, imagining the slow descent of Emma's kisses. That frustratingly perfect blonde hair tickling Regina's stomach. It all seemed so vivid Regina could have sworn she could feel Emma touching her. The fantasy became so vivid, in fact, that as Regina came, an accidental spell was summoned.

From the other side of town, sitting and watching the television, Emma was transported in a purple cloud of smoke to a strange bedroom - falling over her own two legs at the shock and sudden change of positions. Emma scurried to her feet as she turned to see a large bed with a lump under the covers.

"Why are you here?" Regina's voice came eventually, taking Emma by complete surprise.

"... What? ... What're you talking about? You didn't bring me ... here?"

"It must have been you!" Regina hissed, flooded with embarrassment at her body's own awful trick. She slowly sat up from under the covers, willing herself to face Emma so as not to appear quite as guilty.

"Me?! Why was it me?" Emma whined adorably. "I was just watching Top Chef. I didn't do anything. Are you sure it wasn't you?"

"I'm trying to sleep," Regina lied, silently pleading that Emma not point out the obvious untruth. "Here, I'll send you back-"

"Wait."

Regina's breath caught in her throat at the look Emma was sending to her. It was a look of serious concern etched on Emma's usually unreadable face.

"Regina ... are you okay?" Emma asked, noting the vulnerability she saw sitting before her. When she took a step closer, Regina scooted back further against the headboard. She certainly didn't want to be approached.

"I'm fine! Fine, Miss Swan. I just ... don't like strangers appearing in my bedroom."

Emma looked hurt: "I'm not a stranger. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Well, friends either," Regina admitted, appearing as if she might cry.

Feeling for the woman who had such difficulty expressing her feelings, Emma sent herself back home with magic, calling Regina over the phone once she'd vacated Regina's private room.

The phone call was thoughtful, but Regina couldn't spend long on the phone when she needed so badly to cry. It was frustrating, having felt how satisfying it could be to let her mind wander and then knowing she couldn't do that again. Now she couldn't touch herself? Wonderful. She couldn't even find pleasure alone. Regina curled up in her blankets and worried herself to sleep that night.


	11. Incriminating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby and Belle tease Emma while Regina overhears.

"Everyone likes to be spanked sometimes," Emma reasoned at the booth with Ruby and Belle at Granny's after closing. Their booth was the only one occupied, but there was a lot of commotion for cleaning the place up, so they weren't paying much attention to their surroundings.

Regina had let herself in just then, to pick up a late order for herself and Henry, and had overheard that very statement and froze at the door for a moment. Finally ushering her way quietly to the counter. Waving over at Granny.

"Spanked, huh?" Ruby teased, stealing another fry from Emma as she winked at Belle. "I don't know about you, but not _everyone _likes to be spanked ..."__

__Regina felt herself sweating. It had been two weeks since she had learned it wasn't exactly safe to touch herself unless she wanted her body to conjure Emma in her bedroom, and she was suffering dearly. Simply because she knew she couldn't, Regina had been desperate to satisfy herself. To feel any pleasure at all. The conversation she overheard was simply torture._ _

__Granny held up a finger from the kitchen to signify it would still be another minute, and Regina groaned just loud enough for Ruby to turn to the sound._ _

__"Oh, Mayor Mills!" Ruby smiled, having heard of Emma's somewhat successful friendship with Regina, opening her to the possibility that Regina might not be all bad. "Why don't you come join us?"_ _

__"N-No, thank you," Regina stuttered uncharacteristically, and Emma cleared her throat._ _

__"Maybe we should talk about something else, guys."_ _

__"Someone's getting shy," Belle muttered teasingly, also stealing one of Emma's fries._ _

__"Emma was admitting something very incriminating," Ruby chuckled, poking Emma in the ribs at her side before turning back to Regina. "Don't you wanna know what it is?"_ _

__"Unless Miss Swan wants-"_ _

__"It's spanking. We were talking about spanking," Ruby grinned, widening the expression when she heard Emma groan and felt the saviour hide behind her in complete humiliation. "I think she said she liked it ... didn't you?" Ruby asked, trying to twist to see the expression on Emma's face._ _

__Regina turned toward the group, raising her brows: "Doesn’t sound incriminating to me."_ _

__After Emma had never pointed out the event of showing up in Regina's bedroom or teased Regina about it, Regina felt it was only fair to stick up for Emma, too._ _

__"Sounds perfectly natural."_ _

__"Are you saying ...?" Ruby began, eyes lit with possible teases when Regina's demeanor went completely stiff._ _

__"I am _saying _, Miss Lucas, that her desires are her own, and it's not your place to mock her for them. Is it? Especially not in front of the town mayor."___ _

____Ruby sunk a little, reaching back to steal yet another fry from Emma's basket._ _ _ _

____"Now, if you children will excuse me," Regina sassed, leaving money at the counter as Granny brought over her order. "I need to be heading home."_ _ _ _

____When Emma sat up from behind Ruby and regarded Regina with a simple, thankful smile, Regina paused before walking past the only occupied table in the place._ _ _ _

____"You may join me and Henry, Miss Swan, if you wish to be free of the ridicule here," Regina offered, holding up the bag. "I am most certain he would share his fries with you. He's missed you."_ _ _ _

____"Since yesterday?" Ruby teased, earning an elbow in the ribs as Emma ushered them both out of the booth to stand beside Regina - looking back to Ruby and Belle with a shrug._ _ _ _

____"I think ... I'd better go see how Henry's doing."_ _ _ _

____"Sure, sure, ditch us if you want," Ruby teased, taking another fry from the basket where Emma had been sitting. "Just don't think you're taking the fries ..."_ _ _ _

____Belle laughed and shook her head at the young woman hovering over the basket._ _ _ _

____"Keep them," Emma smiled, walking after Regina to leave Ruby and Belle alone in the diner booth._ _ _ _

____"Did you see that?" Ruby asked with a growing grin, catching the smile on Belle's face. "The two of them? Sticking up for each other like that?"_ _ _ _

____"It's interesting," Belle agreed, casting a glance over Ruby's shoulder to see Regina and Emma smiling at one another as they climbed into Regina's luxury car together. "I'll give you that."_ _ _ _

____"More than interesting," Ruby agreed, tapping her fingers to her lips. "I always thought Emma was interested in Regina, but don't you think Regina acted a little ..."_ _ _ _

____"Or maybe they're just friends?" Belle tried, shrugging at the thought. "Anything could be true."_ _ _ _

____"Well, yeah! Now that Regina knows Emma likes to be punished!"_ _ _ _

____Belle laughed back, both of them feasting away on their friend's fries. "We really ought to embarrass her less."_ _ _ _

____Ruby thought of her wonderful friendship with the town sheriff and flashed Belle a quick grin: "Nah."_ _ _ _


	12. Snowballs

It had been four days since Regina had heard Emma's confession of spanking - after she had entertained Emma over at her house with Henry and tried at ignoring what she felt. It had been four days, and Regina wasn't able to let go of the thought. She knew that if she could find sexual satisfaction, the frustration would ease up, but as it was, her shoulders were painfully tense. Regina Mills needed release.

She was sighing at her desk when there was a gentle knock at her door before Henry popped his head inside: “Hey, Mom. It’s snowing!”

Regina ignored the pain in her neck from twisting around, glancing out her office window to smile at the twirling white drops of snow. There had been a time when she cursed the snow for its reminder of Snow White, but she had long since let that go. Snow was beautiful, and it made her son very happy.

“Yes, it is,” she said, turning to see Henry running over toward her – pointing out the window excitedly.

“Look! Almost the whole street is covered with it!”

Regina watched her son’s fascination with a loving smile.

“Do you think it’ll snow enough to make a snowman?”

Regina chuckled: “With any luck.”

“Awesome! Can I go over to Emma’s?”

Regina’s heart sank, trying not to make her disappointment obvious: “Emma’s? … How come?”

“Because she told me she loves to have snowball fights!” Henry explained, knowing his mother well enough to know that she didn’t often enjoy freezing outside – and most certainly was not one to enjoy a ball of snow hurtled at her face.

“I … I would play with you, Henry,” Regina stated so sadly that Henry felt bad for assuming she wouldn’t. His mom looked broken over his response.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t know,” he insisted, shrugging. “Would you … really?”

“Of course I would, Henry. I would do anything for you.”

“Even something as dumb as snowball fights?”

“Language,” Regina said sternly, softening her tone as she stood: “And yes. Anything, Henry.”

She hugged him to her side and insisted they both get dressed for the weather before she hurried herself upstairs to find the warmest clothes she owned.

What Regina ended up wearing was the ski pants she had worn playing with Henry in the snow when he was just a toddler and a thick winter jacket she had bought for skiing. As much as she wanted to appear as stylish as usual, she wanted to set a good example for Henry in dressing well for the snow. So she looked a bit foolish! She smiled at her reflection in the foyer and called up to him: “Are you ready?”

Pulling on a scarf and knitted mittens, Regina heard no reply. She frowned and looked around to see Henry’s boots were gone. Was he already outside?

As soon as Regina pulled the door closed behind her to check the backyard, she saw a snowball headed for her face. As quick as ever, she ducked just in time, shocked to see the snowball hit the back door with a thud – exploding with crystals of snow on contact.

She wanted to laugh, looking out in the general direction of the snowball. “Henry?!” she asked in a voice that made obvious her playfulness despite the recent attack. “Henry Daniel Mills, you are going to be sorry for that!”

Regina carefully hid behind a tree, peering around it to notice an arm pop up from behind a lawn chair – another snowball headed for her. Chuckling to herself, Regina crouched down and formed a snowball in her mittens – holding it close to her chest. If she could only get a little closer …

In the mood of the fun, Regina ran out from behind the tree – feeling snowballs pelt her midsection as she screamed with laughter and hid behind another tree farther back in the yard. She was close to him – she just needed to be brave once more.

Summoning the playful strength she needed, Regina aimed and threw her snowball before running in behind the lawn chairs to tackle her mischievous son. He could be so incredibly daring, and she wanted to show him she could be daring, too.

With a thud, Regina successfully pounced on her son to keep him from throwing anything at her from close range – laughing at her own audacity when suddenly she realized something. It wasn’t Henry.

Regina laid panting on top of Emma Swan.

Of course Henry invited her. And of course Regina had mistakenly tackled her. _Of course _,__ she thought.

“Can’t get me!” Henry laughed from the other end of the yard, throwing three snowballs – one of which caught Regina on the side of the face, tumbling down onto Emma’s. Both women sputtered only to stare at once another again, unknowing of the next move.

“I … I’m sorry,” Regina said quietly, breathlessly. Her hair was falling her face – the ends whetted with snow. Her eyes were on fire.

The unfamiliar look in Emma’s eyes softened considerably: “It’s … okay.”

Regina finally climbed off of her awkwardly, eyes tracing down from the strands of blonde hair loose from Emma’s scarf to the gloves that seemed more fitting for snowballs than Regina’s knitted mittens.

“Let’s get him,” Emma said kindly, seeing that Regina felt insecure about not having been the type of mother to share in snow fights with her son before. “I’ll head behind there, and you throw. I’ll cover you when you go.”

When Emma was hit again on her hat, she chuckled and ducked: “No time for plans! Go go go!”

Regina found herself surging with a real sense of fun as she and Emma began winning the snow fight together. Henry’s wails of an unfair sense of teams only had his mothers laughing because he was almost better on his own.

It wasn’t until another twenty minutes of fun later that Henry boldly stood with his hands waving as if to tease his mother. Well, if he thought he could dodge all of Regina’s snowballs, he was wrong. Regina grinned and stood from her hiding spot – aiming and throwing until she felt arms wrap around her from behind. She screamed with laughter again, flailing as Henry ran over. She flailed so hard that she and Emma ended up falling over with Emma still grasping strongly around her for Henry to stand over them with a snowball in-hand.

“Do you give?” he beamed excitedly, watching his mother wriggle to no avail – laughing when all hope was lost.

“Fine … I give,” Regina chuckled. “But for the record, this was cheating!”

Emma tried not to enjoy her position too much, lying under a writhing Regina Mills. Even through the layers of snowy material, it was a satisfying position. Regina felt perfect in her arms – the smell of Regina’s hair invading Emma’s senses.

“Let! Go! Of! Me!” Regina laughed, surprised by Emma’s strength. “The game’s over you idiot!”

Just for that, Emma rolled them over so Regina would have to fight to keep from getting a face full of snow.

“SWAN!”

“I’ll save you, Mom!” Henry went to his other mother’s rescue, pulling Emma off only to laugh and chase her with snowballs across the yard.

Regina felt herself flood with desire all over again, watching Emma expertly run, hop, and dodge from the attack. Regina brushed herself off as a smile found its way to her lips, remembering how adamantly Emma had held her. She wondered if Emma was as cold as she was – if Emma would accept an invitation to stay for dinner.

At the thought of being seated next to Emma all evening, however, Regina looked down. She didn’t know what she would do. Sitting closely with Emma had become problematic. She … liked Emma. If nothing else, she really liked her, and that complicated things. Emma was Henry’s other mother. Emma was her friend. Emma was beautiful. Emma was – wait, what?

“Nice try, Kid!” Emma was laughing, wrapping her arms around his chest to lift him playfully off the ground only to set him back down again, ruffling his hair. “You’re pretty cold – what do you say we get you inside?”

“I’m not cold,” Henry whined, finally walking back to the house when Emma put her hands on his hips.

Regina was still half-sitting and half-lying down when Emma walked over to her spot behind the chairs.

  
“Hey, had a little too much snow?” Emma teased, offering Regina her hand. It was a hand that had Regina breathless for all of its strength and unpredictability. It was a hand that was difficult to accept. “Come on, I won’t bite.”

Nervously, Regina accepted Emma’s hand – hoisted up to her feet. Regina felt rather lumpy in her snow clothes, but the way Emma looked at her made her feel the very epitome of class.

“Sorry for turning on you,” Emma smiled, lighting up. “The kid was losing pretty bad. Something had to give.”

“I’ll remember that for next time,” Regina found herself teasing back, shy that it was such a fluid transition. Then she scolded herself silently for acting like a shy school girl. She forced her eyes up to Emma’s, lips parting at what she saw there. Emma was staring at her.

They shared a long moment of silence before the door to the house slid open again and Henry called out: “Hey, does anyone want hot chocolate?”

Emma grinned and whipped around, waving her hand. “Me! Extra marshmallows!” She turned back around just in time to watch Regina roll her eyes. “What? It makes me feel like Christmas is coming.”

Regina simply shook her head: “Christmas is coming, Miss Swan. But that’s a matter of certainty and not prediction by beverage.”

“Hey, don’t sass me or you’ll get another snowball to the face, Your Majesty.”

Regina smiled and stepped back toward the house with Emma in toe.

“Thanks for coming,” Regina said over her shoulder, surprised by how much one snow fight could alleviate some of the tension that had worked its way inside of her. “It was … really nice.”

“And here I thought you invited me.”

“I only wish I had,” Regina teased back, realizing too late what she’d given away. She stopped in her tracks, watching Emma walk around her, tossing a little smirk over her shoulder.

“You could make it up to me by inviting me for dinner …?”

When Emma pulled open the back door and gestured inside, Regina blinked. Was Emma flirting with her? Regina’s heart raced at the very idea. Her whole body tingled.

“Y-yes … dinner. Would you … stay?”

Instead of teasing Regina for her stuttering, Emma smiled as she passed: “Love to.”


	13. Fire

Regina, Emma and Henry had eaten dinner and were sitting at the fireplace when Henry and Emma had insisted on not only adding marshmallows to their hot chocolate, but roasting larger marshmallows as well. Regina thought back to dinner with a smile, more relaxed in her typical blouse and pant suit. All of her clothes had felt cold after the snow fight outside, and her shirt had been wet from the snowball attacks she had endured. Regina sat with ankles crossed on the sofa as she thought back to having borrowed Emma a shirt as well for the same reason. A grey silk blouse that flattered Emma beautifully and hugged her small frame while highlighting the impressive build of her arms.

“I can’t get anything on this shirt!” Emma laughed when Henry tried to feed her a drooping, melting marshmallow. “Here!”

Regina had to laugh at the sight of Emma with her hands out at her sides, giggling with their son over the fun of marshmallows. It was always such an endearing sight to watch Emma playing with Henry. It warmed Regina from inside, and quite often confused her. What used to be sheer jealousy over Emma’s bond with Henry had slowly turned into an appreciation that only mounted with Emma’s growing maturity and helpfulness. She had become a part of the Mills family as much as Regina had established her place among the Swans.

“And this one didn’t burn either,” Henry beamed, walking over to Regina’s couch with his hand under the stick Emma had collected from outside. Under the melting marshmallow.

As much as Regina wanted to decline, she simply couldn’t turn that smile down from Henry’s face. So with a deep inhale, she braved herself against the marshmallow.

Unbeknownst to the mayor, Emma finished chewing her snack with eyes locked on Regina. Emma thought she had never seen anything sexier than Regina Mills reclined in all of her stylish glory with a sticky marshmallow in her hands. Laughing in earnest and doing her best to keep her fingers clean by enveloping them in her mouth. Emma’s mouth went dry at the sight, unable to turn away. She even paused her own actions to watch with an open mouth as Regina licked and sucked on her fingers. Emma thought she had never been so aroused in her life. Her heart pounded in her chest, even knowing that Regina wouldn’t act on anything that night. The feeling couldn’t be helped. Whether or not Regina was ready to understand her feelings, Emma’s were pronounced. Emma wanted her, and watching Regina was doing nothing to cool her libido.

“Do you want another one?” Henry chuckled, hurrying back to the fire near the left corner of the room at the hilarious look on Emma’s face. “I’ll make this one even toastier!”

Regina was still smiling as her eyes swept over to Emma only to drop her smile completely. Emma was openly staring at her, and the brazen obviousness had its effect. Regina froze – heart racing – as she looked down to realize what she had been doing. Licking her fingers.

With her fingers still hovering just in front of her lips, Regina did something she had never done before. She openly teased Emma Swan with intent. Before she could even stop herself, she was slipping her index finger into her mouth as innocently as she could manage – eyes locked with Emma. The reaction she saw flaming in the sheriff’s eyes ignited her need even stronger. The obvious way Emma lusted after her was new and thrilling and sexual. Regina felt herself throbbing.

When Emma’s eyes dropped down Regina’s body all the way to her feet and back, Regina shivered. She had to wonder how long Emma had wanted her. How long had Emma been staring at her in secret? How long had Emma been lusting after her?

The fire crackled just then, reminding them both that their son was in the same room, humming to himself as he roasted more marshmallows for them. Regina cleared her throat and sat up on the couch. Ever the responsible parent.

“I uh … I need to go wash my hands.”

“Nooo!” Henry whined: “Don’t you want another one?”

Regina thought of her new feelings for Emma and the lust that gripped her so forcefully she had to take a step back: “No, I … I think I’m done for tonight.”

“Mooom,” Henry tried again, putting on his best pout when Regina simply smiled, trying to make as little of her sticky hands as she could.

“I’ll be right back, Henry.”

Emma looked down into her lap, feeling that she had always been right – Regina was a complicated woman who would quite possibly never be ready for more than friendship. But the feelings couldn’t be helped. Emma had strong feelings for Regina, and those included a lust that burned uncontrollably for the infuriatingly sensual Regina Mills. She wondered what she was going to do that evening to keep herself sane when she couldn’t stop recalling the sight of Regina sucking on her own sticky fingers.

When Regina returned and sat again at the other couch, she noted that Emma’s smile was somewhat different. It looked almost sad – put on solely for their son.

Emma was grateful for Henry’s help in keeping the night less awkward than it might have been – nudging him with her shoulder when he tried to steal her last marshmallow. “Get out of here, Kid,” she chuckled, stuffing almost the whole marshmallow into her mouth. “Nnn nggg nn hnn.”

From the other couch, they both heard Regina’s voice interrupting their laughter: “Henry, it’s getting late. If you get ready for bed, you can come back down for a while, but we have an early day tomorrow.”

Henry grumbled, but understood. He was tired.

“And make sure to brush those teeth, young man,” she smiled, watching to see her son make his way up the stairs.

Emma took in a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She was going to make a fool of herself alone with Regina. With no buffer between them, she had no idea what to say or do as she finished the snack in her mouth to look awkwardly to her hands. She didn’t want to find out if Regina wanted to watch her lick _her _fingers, because she was afraid of the answer.__

__“So …” Emma started, not even venturing to look up when suddenly she heard Regina slowly making her way over. Was Regina going to slap her for staring? “I’m … I’m sorry about earlier … I guess I-”_ _

__Emma’s hand was plucked from her lap, held by the wrist as Regina sat next to her, staring at her fingers. Eyes wide and confused, Emma watched as Regina did something Emma would never have predicted. Regina brought Emma’s hand toward her own mouth, locking eyes with the sheriff as if to ask permission. Emma couldn’t breathe – was Regina going to lick her fingers?! For heaven’s sake!_ _

__At the panic in Emma’s eyes and the racing heart that thumped wildly in Emma’s neck, Regina deduced the blonde would not take offence. And so Regina licked her lips and took Emma’s middle finger into her mouth._ _

__Emma thought her eyes would roll back in her head. Regina’s mouth … her finger was in Regina’s mouth … She tried to control herself from pouncing on the little tease._ _

__Regina’s tongue hit the pad of Emma’s finger first, and then teeth raked against it in a way so sensual that all Emma could do not to moan was clench her teeth and swallow it back._ _

__When Regina noticed the way Emma melted into the couch at the sensation of her mouth, she released Emma’s finger from her mouth with a mischievous smile she couldn’t seem to release. It was plastered on her face like a trophy. She had unravelled the town’s sheriff and saviour with her mouth._ _

__Suddenly, all Regina could think was other places she might like to lick Emma, and the new idea wiped the smirk from her face. Her eyes accidentally dropped down the top she’d lent Emma, down to Emma’s lap. Why did it make Regina so breathless? She had never lusted after a woman before._ _

__“Maybe we could all watch another movie!” Henry shouted from the stairs, urging Regina from Emma’s couch to turn and walk toward the kitchen._ _

__“I think it’s a little late for that,” Regina said simply, as if she hadn’t just been facing a very confusing and intense issue at heart. “Time to say goodnight to Miss Swan, Henry.”_ _

__Regina was still in the kitchen leaning over the sink when she heard Henry make his way back up the stairs for bedtime. “Night!” he called over his shoulder, reminding Regina that she, too, would have to say goodnight to Emma. But would Emma hate her if she had just teased her and left without a word? She had never been in such a complicated situation before._ _

__“Not gonna say goodnight to me?” came from directly behind her – so close behind Regina that she couldn’t have turned around without coming into contact with Emma. She exhaled silently, closing her eyes. How could the very thought of Emma stepping a little closer affect her so passionately?_ _

__Regina gasped when she felt Emma step in behind her, Emma pressing against her from behind. Emma reached around her to the sink, washing her still-sticky hands before chuckling softly at the way Regina had completely stilled against her. Two sudden hands on her hips then stole all of Regina’s breath away, leaving her confused and aroused to a point she had never known before. One simple touch and she was gone._ _

__“… So you enjoy teasing me?” Emma whispered from behind her, the blonde just an inch or so taller than Regina as they stood barefoot._ _

__Regina blushed at the comment, trying to think of excuses or explanation for having licked the sheriff's finger when suddenly Emma’s breath was hot against her ear: “… You do, don’t you …?”_ _

__Regina went weak at the sheer proximity of her friend. _Her friend _. Emma was her friend. What on earth were they doing? What was Regina’s body thinking? Well, it wasn’t.___ _

____“Miss Swan … we … we can’t do this.”_ _ _ _

____As much as Emma wanted to keep teasing Regina, she wanted to respect the woman’s boundaries. Reluctantly, Emma withdrew her hands and took a full step back to lean against the island counter instead. She raked her eyes up from Regina’s feet to her backside, still staring when Regina whipped around. Caught but unashamed._ _ _ _

____“Miss Swan,” Regina said almost as if she were offended._ _ _ _

____Emma smiled up at her: “… Sorry. I … you really worked me up, you know.”_ _ _ _

____Regina cleared her throat: “I’m sorry about that. I really am. I … I wasn’t thinking. But it’s … it’s getting late.”_ _ _ _

____Emma understood the panic Regina was feeling. She had felt it when she had first developed feelings for the town mayor. She knew the hesitance and embarrassment that flooded Regina at that moment, and the last thing Emma wanted to do was push anything._ _ _ _

____“Yeah, it … is,” Emma answered, clearing her throat. “But … don’t think I didn’t … um, like it …”_ _ _ _

____Regina’s face and chest flushed a deeper shade of pink, and Emma wanted desperately to reach out and kiss her but it wasn’t the time. So instead, Emma stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans and said her goodnights as she dressed to leave._ _ _ _

____It wasn’t until Emma had pulled on her toque and scarf that Regina finally worked up the nerve to speak again. She was wringing her hands as she cleared her throat, looking up at Emma._ _ _ _

____“I … I’m sorry for the … mixed signals …”_ _ _ _

____Emma smiled openly: “Didn’t seem very mixed to me …”_ _ _ _

____“Emma-”_ _ _ _

____“I mean it. I … I understand it’s freaking you out, but-”_ _ _ _

____“Emma.”_ _ _ _

____There was silence as Regina held out her hand for them to shake on it as if they had just negotiated a business trade._ _ _ _

____“I wouldn’t give me that hand unless you’re ready to even the score,” Emma teased back, zipping up her jacket with a wink. She turned to unlock the door at her back. “And Regina?”_ _ _ _

____The suddenly shy mayor was alert as Emma turned back to her seriously._ _ _ _

____“Friends first, Regina. If you … if this is freaking you out, I get that. Alright?”_ _ _ _

____Regina nodded, looking down at her feet as Emma continued: “Just … no more marshmallows maybe ...”_ _ _ _

____Regina smiled down at her feet._ _ _ _

____“Goodnight, Madam Mayor,” Emma nodded, opening the door to the cold night. Good – she knew she would be needing the cool temperatures to somewhat settle her rising libido._ _ _ _

____Regina watched after her, only realizing Emma was still wearing her blouse after Emma had driven off. Until she slept, Regina couldn’t help thinking about how Emma might put herself at ease that night in _her _shirt. Regina almost called her, but then thought better of it. They were friends. Regina and Emma were finally friends, and she was too worried to startle that to try anything else.___ _ _ _

______But the curiosity was there … the memory of Emma’s finger in her mouth certainly kept her mind active into the night. Emma’s words ignited her again as she went to sleep, the phrase repeating in her mind: _I wouldn’t give me that hand unless you’re ready to even the score … _Would Emma really have licked her fingers? Regina moaned to herself at the thought, twisting and turning as she refused to get herself off to the image of Emma licking her fingers. The last thing Regina wanted to do after embarrassing herself earlier was to magic Emma into her bedroom again. They weren’t ready for that. So Regina stayed up until three in the morning, when her body finally gave up and fell asleep.___ _ _ _ _ _


	14. Texts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma go out with friends and text later that night.

Regina had been avoiding Emma in public places, but Emma understood. She found herself trying to avoid the mayor from time-to-time, feeling awkward around others where the mayor was involved.

To try and dispense with the awkwardness, Emma threw a girl’s night with Ruby, Belle, Mary Margaret, Kathryn, and Regina. It would be good for Regina to get out there and realize that she was personable and kind and able to make friends wherever she chose.

The ladies all wanted to go out dancing, but Emma knew that would only lead to more awkwardness for her and Regina, and she wanted the night to be fun and easy. So Emma found a pub where the ladies could get together, eat, drink, and bond without the possible awkwardness of touching Regina’s perfect body.

During their girl’s night, Emma found herself very impressed with Regina’s ability to hold her liquor. Even as the girls decided to do shots one-on-one and be required to answer random questions as quickly as possible to prove they weren’t wasted, Regina was doing well. She shot back a shot of dark rum with Kathryn, and answered that her first kiss was with Daniel. Then she shot back another with Mary Margaret and answered that no, she had never done a strip tease for a lover. And both Emma and Regina had a look of disgust when Snow blushed and slapped her hand on the bar for another round.

It was the shot she had with Emma that had Regina clearly affected, but not at fault of the liquor. The question yelled at them as they shot back the stinging liquid was a question of the hottest crush they ever had. While Emma shrugged and opted to pretend as though she was too drunk to remember, Regina’s mouth open and closed a few times, thinking madly about any man she could think of in Storybrooke that wasn’t taken. Regina’s mind went wild with panic: _Any man, you idiot! Any man! There are so many men here! Say one man’s name! Any name!_

Unfortunately, her mind went to the doctor Henry had just seen for Strepp throat – blurting his name to everyone’s laughing surprise.

“Dr. Whale!”

Emma smiled openly at her, absolutely loving the mess that was Regina Mills in love. She knew in that moment that Regina did love her. Perhaps not in the same way as Emma loved Regina, but it was love all the same, and it warmed Emma all over her body, in every extremity. Regina’s panic somehow put her at ease.

The others, however, teased Regina about the answer until Emma offered to do another shot with Ruby.

“You’ve had too much!” Snow laughed, agreeing to just one more to settle the others.

This time, the question yelled at them both took Regina by surprise more than the actual participants of the game.

“How many women have you been with?”

“Two!” Emma laughed, shaking her head at the rush of liquor, wiping her mouth when Ruby purred: “FOUR!”

Snow pulled a face at the way her daughter smirked: “I … did not need to know that.”

“Yeah, just like I didn’t need to know my parents strip for each other,” Emma joked, rolling her eyes. “Nature of the game, I’m afraid.”

While the others were laughing and Kathryn did a round with Belle, Emma looked through the small crowd of friends to Regina. The mayor looked deep in thought, staring down into an empty glass. That perfect brown hair tucked behind Regina’s ears made Emma’s heart race. She wanted to run her hands through it. She wanted to pull Regina into her lap and soothe all of her worries. But just as quickly, Emma pulled her eyes away so as not to elicit attention.

Later that night, Emma cabbed back with Belle and Regina – making sure to drop Belle off first even though Emma’s place was closest. After they waved off to Belle, Emma called out the mayor’s address.

“Seeing me home?” Regina teased, properly buckled in even as intoxicated as she was. “How noble, Sheriff.”

Emma chuckled, opting not to look at the perfect mess Regina Mills was when rightly affected by liquor. Instead, she looked out the window: “Call it what you will. Safety is my job.” Emma’s head was swimming, and her desire for Regina was taking full effect. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine Regina’s hands all over her. She shivered when she remembered how it had felt when Regina licked her finger just the other week.

“Cold?”

Emma stilled herself from the sensual shivers coursing through her, awkwardly smiling at the somehow pristine mayor: “Um … no?”

“Oh.”

They both burst into laughter, sitting back against the cab. Foreheads touching at the relaxed posture. Regina couldn’t bring herself to pull away, but Emma cleared her throat and sat up.

“I uh … I’m pretty drunk.”

Regina laughed again: “Can’t hold your liquor, Miss Swan?”

“Not as well as you apparently,” she teased, lifting her bottom from the seat to pull a twenty from her back pocket.

Regina tried not to watch Emma clumsily groping her own backside until a hand finally slid into the jeans pocket – agile fingers pulling out a crumpled bill. Regina couldn’t help but wonder how Emma might answer if she invited her inside, but neither of them were quite ready for that. And she wouldn’t have wanted anything to happen if Emma was drunk.

When the cab pulled up to Regina’s house, Regina gave the cab driver her own twenty, smiling at him: “Keep the change.”

“Ma’am – that’s too much.”

“It’s to get her home too,” Regina smiled, confusing Emma who was just a bit too late to offer her own bill she had so successfully pulled out.

“Wait,” Emma chuckled, peeking her head out the back window after Regina closed the door.

“Goodnight, Swan,” Regina smirked, waving over her shoulder as she made her careful way to the front steps and slipped inside.

Once inside, Regina allowed herself to feel the effects of the alcohol. It had been a very long time since she’d had that much to drink, but she had always been able to somewhat control her own reactions to alcohol.

“Mmm,” she chuckled, nearly falling against the door when Henry called down to her.

“Mom! Is that you?”

“Henry?” she asked, snapping herself out of the stupor she’d fallen into. “Henry? Why aren’t you with your grandfather?”

Henry came sleepily to the top of the stairs, rubbing his eyes. “He’s on the couch.”

Regina turned with a startled gasp – her hand leaping to her chest in surprise as she noticed David lying on the couch awake – waving at her.

“Jesus! David! … You’ve just been sitting there watching me …?”

“You looked smitten about someone,” he teased, pulling himself up to stand. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Regina glared at him: “I am not smitten.”

“I’ll get the details from Snow,” he teased back, calling out his goodbye to Henry before he grabbed his coat. “Night.”

Regina frowned when he patted her back and walked out, discontent that he felt she was harmless that he might mock her and leave. Was she so different from a few simple years ago? … And why didn’t Regina hate that?

“Mom, are you coming to bed?” Henry yawned, bringing a very real smile to his mother’s face.

“Yes, Sweetheart. Get back into bed. I’ll be up in a minute.”

“Did you have fun with your friends?”

Regina chuckled and made her way up the steps to hug her caring son: “Yes, Henry. My thoughtful boy. I had a good night. But Mom’s friends aren’t very good influences …”

Henry smiled at his mother’s open laughter, comforted with the way she hugged him – like she would always protect him and love him. He smelled something very strong on his mother he assumed was alcohol, but he didn’t voice the observation. He just hugged her tighter. “It’s okay, Mom.”

“I love you, Henry,” she said, suddenly swept up with her confusing feelings toward Emma – his other mother. “I love you no matter what.” Then she held his face in her hands. “I will always love you, even if you don’t always … feel the same way.”

Henry frowned: “I’ll always love you, Mom.”

Regina held him to her again, trying to will herself to believe that was true. “Okay, now off to bed with you, young man. It’s late.”

It was half an hour later that Regina was fully prepared for bed. It had taken her longer than usual to navigate her room and finish her simple bedtime tasks, but she was truly relaxed as she sank into her bed – the alcohol still warming her. She was happy, at least for the night.

When she heard her phone buzzing from the nightstand, she reached over to it and laughed when she dropped it to the floor. When she finally laid back in bed and checked the screen, she laughed quietly to herself at the four messages from Emma.

**where exabtvly are u aand what r yu wearingg? ******

******omg no no just kidding haha ******** **

**********can u still se those tests ******** ** ** **

**************shit ******** ** ** ** ** **

Regina placed her phone on the other side of the bed, staring at it as the screen lit up again.

******************but serioshly what r u wearin ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

That time, Regina laughed out loud, having to clap a hand over her mouth. She didn’t want to wake Henry.

**********************no no no im really skidding/ ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Finally Regina took pity on her and typed back:

**************************Well thank goodness you’re only skidding then. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Regina had one hand on her phone as she laid on her side, smiling at the thought of foolishly drunk Emma. It was comforting to see that Emma could make a fool of herself, too. It invited Regina to let out her more playful side.

******************************how druank ar u?? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************Pretty druank. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**************************************oh shti really??? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

******************************************Yes, really. Why, Miss Swan? You seem very interested in me this evening. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************************no no im ok ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**************************************************Are you quite sure? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

******************************************************r u going hh2 have a hungoever? I have good stuff fo that ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************************************Yes please. I would like good stuff fo this. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**************************************************************u r making sfun of me? >? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

******************************************************************I just find your misspellings quite entertaining. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************************************************it takes u to klong to type. Stop typing so good ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Regina’s cheeks warmed at the adorable attempt on Emma’s part to take control of the situation. Regina hummed pleasantly to herself, typing a quick answer:

**************************************************************************No. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

******************************************************************************dificutl woman!!! ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Regina laughed again, taking her time in responding. In the meanwhile, Emma had texted her four times.

**********************************************************************************evil awoman ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**************************************************************************************well, TEASing evil …….. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

******************************************************************************************.. di you fall asleep gon me?? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************************************************************************oh shit. no not on me ….. u kno what I nean ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Regina took her time to type back correctly:

**************************************************************************************************Tell me. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Immediately after sending her text, Regina felt her phone vibrate in her hand. She was startled for a moment until she realized it was Emma, calling her. With a smirk, she picked up.

“Miss Swan. How nice to hear from you at this perfectly appropriate time of night.”

“You’re not allowed to sound so sober …” Emma whined, prompting another quiet laugh on Regina’s end. “Come on, you can’t be this good with your drinks.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Regina smiled: “I can hold my liquor like an Irishman.”

“I should … probably not be … calling …”

“Would you like me to hang up on you, Miss Swan?”

“No, don’t call me that,” Emma whispered helplessly, her voice suddenly breathy.

“Miss Swan?” Regina asked, furrowing her brows. “You dislike it that much?”

“Nooo … it’s ... it's the way you say it …” Emma all but moaned.

Regina smirked. “I see.”

“Just forget I said anything,” Emma tried awkwardly, and Regina bit her lower lip. It was always so tempting to tease Emma. She always made it so easy. So obvious. But Emma was also drunk, and Regina didn’t wish to truly embarrass her.

“Maybe I should go, Mi-uh, Emma … Maybe I should go.”

“No, wait!” Emma whispered, exhaling into the phone accidentally. “Wait …”

Was Emma touching herself? Regina’s eyes went wide at the idea – holding her breath in order to focus her listening on the other end of the call.

“Just … will you … I mean, it was a nice night …”

Emma wanted to ask her what she was wearing. Regina almost laughed that she could tell. And she throbbed, realizing how much she wanted to tell Emma she was wearing a silk set of lingerie. She had always felt most comfortable in a silk set of lingerie, curled up in satin sheets.

“I …” Emma started, unwilling to say anything she couldn’t take back. Even drunk. “I’m sorry … for … for being this … drunk …”

Regina stopped herself from imagining how Emma was pleasing herself, and cleared her throat instead. “It’s alright. I have to go, though.” Taking a deep breath in and out, Regina smirked. “Good night, Miss Swan.”

When she heard a hiss of approval, Regina said a flirty goodbye before hanging up and ending her conversation with one last teasing text:

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ******************************************************************************************************Enjoy your night, 'Miss Swan.'** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the supportive comments - it's made it really exciting to keep writing and posting the story regularly. A big thanks to commenters.


	15. Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Whale has heard the rumours.

Since the girls’ night out, Dr. Whale had heard about the gossip of Regina having a crush on him. He had come to her office, met her at the diner, and bumped into her on the street numerous times since then, hoping to make something of the gossip. Regina, however, was disinterested.

Emma had heard of the issue, and had offered to speak to him for Regina. Regina had declined as she didn’t know how to explain the lie she had told about having a crush on him, so she dealt with it herself. At least Emma assumed she had until the sheriff was making her rounds at work only to find none other than Regina Mills and Dr. Whale just outside a shop – and Dr. Whale was grabbing her by the arm. Emma narrowed her eyes at the sight, turning her car around as she noted that Regina defended herself nicely, but that wasn’t enough. That man needed to be properly told off. 

“-and if you don’t let up, I will call the police, Dr. Whale,” Regina was saying as Emma stood out of her car to approach the arguing duo. “I don’t take kindly to being pulled around like some rag doll.”

“Is there a problem here?” Emma asked coldly, hands on her hips. Glaring at Dr. Whale.

Regina whipped around and cleared her throat – she wasn’t some damsel and she certainly didn’t need saving. “I’m fine, Sheriff. Thank you.”

“You see, I might have believed that if I hadn’t seen you pulling her around,” Emma said directly to Dr. Whale, stepping up to him. “And as sheriff, I don’t take kindly to that sort of aggressive behaviour.”

“I was just asking her to speak with me for ONE minute!” Dr. Whale yelled with exasperation. “I didn’t mean to pull her around …”

"If I see you bothering her again ..." Emma said seriously, watching the doctor's entire demeanor shift.

Regina crossed her arms at the beginnings of some kind of chivalrous threat, liking none of it. “Sheriff, Doctor,” she muttered, walking away from both of them.

Emma gave Dr. Whale one last glare and abandoned her own words for him before heading off after Regina. “Regina! ... Are you okay?”

“Yes. And I would have been fine on my own.”

“Are you actually upset that I helped you? Seriously?”

Regina stopped short, and crossed her arms over her chest: “Does it look like I’m kidding?”

That infuriating woman, Emma thought with affection she couldn’t properly hide. “Regina … I’m sorry. I won’t step in next time.”

Just when Regina went to forgive her, Emma interrupted.

“I mean! … No, I can’t promise that. I’m sorry – what if you’re being hurt?” Emma said seriously, obviously troubled by the thought of anyone bothering Regina. “I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”

“And you don’t trust me to defend myself?”

“I don’t trust that you know how you deserve to be treated.”

“… What?”

“Just promise me that you’ll accept my help if you ever actually need it, Regina. Quit being so stubborn. Sometimes we all need a little help.”  
Regina stepped into Emma’s space, eyes rushing over Emma’s face as she always had. “If I need help, I will handle it myself. I don’t need some white knight galloping around like a lunatic, fighting my battles for me.”

If it was possible, Emma fell even more in love with her, trying to tighten back her smile of adoration. “I’m … I’m sorry, Madam Mayor. I guess … I misunderstood.”

“Good,” Regina said, backing off to continue her walk down the street. She was rather impressed with herself at how easily she had Emma agreeing to her terms, but then disappointed when she realized they hadn’t argued. Regina paused and turned to watch Emma walking back to her car, wondering when their heated arguments had ended. Regina wondered to herself if Emma _would _have a heated argument with her after the small moments they had shared together in the past few months. To find out for sure, Regina had an experiment to conduct.__

__“Miss Swan?”_ _

__Emma turned at her car to the note of Regina’s voice._ _

__“… Pick Henry up for seven this evening.”_ _


	16. Experiment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has an experiment to test out.

Emma knocked at the door at 6:58. Damnit, Regina thought. That wouldn’t be an argument. For once, Emma Swan was actually on time. So before Regina answered the door, she thought up another argument to start. Would Emma quickly give in or fight with her like they always had?

“Good evening, Sheriff,” Regina said, welcoming Emma into the foyer. “How are you?”

“I’m good thanks,” Emma smiled, tucking her thumbs into her pockets: “You?”

“I’m … thinking of … giving Dr. Whale a chance, actually.”

Emma frowned immediately: “What?! … You have got to be kidding me.”

Regina shrugged: “You of all people have been telling me since you’ve known me that I’m too … rigid. That I need to open myself to possibilities. And he … likes me, I suppose.”

Emma took a deep breath in and let it out, curtly cutting her hand through the air as she spoke: “He pulled you around … and now you want to give this man a chance to be _with you _? … Regina, do you know how that sounds?”__

__“Oh, lower your voice,” Regina said, turning toward the kitchen. “Henry could be down any minute.”_ _

__“Regina, he could … he could hurt you. Or not take rejection well or-”_ _

__“I appreciate the concern, Sheriff, but-”_ _

__“No!” Emma said, trouble in her eyes. “I don’t think you do. Not at all, Regina, because if you knew how I felt …”_ _

__Were those tears in Emma’s eyes? Regina hadn’t mean to push her so far. Suddenly Regina felt terrible for her experiment gone awry._ _

__“… about your safety,” Emma finished awkwardly, taking in another large, calming breath that she let out too quickly to take effect._ _

__The gathering with Emma had started as an experiment to see if Emma would push back and argue with her, but suddenly it was becoming something else entirely. Regina was trying to gain some control over the situation, but it was quickly spinning out of hand._ _

__“Miss Swan, I just mean that-”_ _

__“No, you know what?” Emma said as calmly as she could. “Do what you want, Regina. Date impolite or even rude jerks if you want. It’s not my place.”_ _

__Regina crossed her arms, suddenly blinded with offence. “Jerks? Plural? Like who – you think I have awful taste?”_ _

__“I don’t think you let your heart lead you, if you’re going after Dr. Whale. I mean, what the hell, Regina?”_ _

__“You’re right! It isn’t your place!” Regina bit back, hands at her sides - lashing out because she couldn't face her own feelings: “What does it even matter? What does it matter to you anyway who I do or don’t see?”_ _

__“-Because it should be me!-”_ _

__They both stopped, shocked by Emma’s words. Regina stared with her arms frozen at her sides, and Emma blinked, trying to recover._ _

__“It … it should be me, protecting you from … people who … could hurt you, is all.”_ _

__Henry had been making his way down the stairs with a roll of his eyes when he heard his two moms arguing, but at Emma’s accidental declaration, he had paused on the stairs, listening. Was Emma falling for his mom? Since when?_ _

__When it was silent for at least thirty seconds, Henry poked his head around the stairway railing to see Regina and Emma standing closely. Regina tucking strands of Emma’s hair behind her ear. Henry almost jumped out of his skin. Did his mother feel the same way?! His mind was reeling as he lowered himself to sit on the stairs near the landing. Confused and stunned._ _

__Emma felt much the same way once Regina approached her and stroked her hair behind her ear. If anything, Emma had made things between them incredibly awkward, so why was Regina looking at her like that?_ _

__Regina looked down between them, and took Emma’s hand in both of hers. “Emma …”_ _

__The name sounded like warm honey coming from Regina and those emotive eyes._ _

__“Emma, I would like us to be … honest with each other. Maybe … another night. Henry will be down soon, and I don’t want to confuse him.”_ _

__“I think he already … kinda knows … I might like you,” Emma implied, surprising Henry who listened on from the stairs. “I can be a little obvious sometimes. Or, I guess, maybe he just thinks I don’t like you at all.”_ _

__“Let’s hope for the latter,” Regina sighed. “Although he does have every right to know. We should tell him you have feelings for me.”_ _

__Then Emma smirked at her: “Oh. So it’s just me, then? Is this all my fault?”_ _

__Regina looked down, trying not to smile._ _

__“Because I recall someone cozying up to me on the couch … trying to-”_ _

__“Hey, Emma!” Henry shouted, jogging down the steps to interrupt what his mothers might have been talking about. Instantly, he saw Regina flush and Emma put on a loving mom smile for him._ _

__“Hey, Kid! You ready to go get dinner? I thought we could get that really greasy pizza your mom hates so much.”_ _

__Henry shrugged, making it obvious he felt awkward about something._ _

__“What’s wrong, Henry?” Regina asked like she always did, her smile lightening his mood if only just barely._ _

__“Umm … I would say nothing, but … why do I feel like I’ll get called out on it?”_ _

__Emma crossed her arms and raised a brow at him: “Because I’ll be able to tell. Now tell us the truth. What's wrong?”_ _

__Henry took a deep breath and looked to both of his moms in a way that proved he knew more than they might think: “You first.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the shorter chapters, I'm posting two at a time :)  
> 


	17. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry knows.

“Crap. You heard us, didn’t you?” Emma mumbled, scratching the back of her neck while Regina was just thanking their lucky stars the sheriff hadn’t mentioned the completely inappropriate licking of fingers for Henry to overhear. “Sorry, Kid.”

“How long have you liked Mom?” Henry asked curiously, unsure of whether he supported it or not. “And why didn’t you tell me?”

“I … didn’t tell your mom, either,” Emma explained, still uncomfortable talking about her feelings with Regina and their son asking for answers.

“You didn’t know?” Henry asked Regina, searching her eyes.

“I … guess I did know, on some level,” Regina answered honestly, daring a quick glance to Emma before focusing on her son again. “I’m sorry, Honey, that I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t want to bring up something that … that Emma and I hadn’t spoken of first. I didn’t want to worry you needlessly.”

“Needlessly?” Henry asked, looking to Emma. “So you’re just both gonna pretend you don’t feel anything? … Why?”

“Henry,” Emma interrupted, “Relationships are complicated, Kid. Your mom and I … we wouldn’t start something if we … couldn’t be sure everything would be okay. For you.”

Regina chimed in: “I just want you to be happy, Henry. And this … is a lot to think about, I know. But we’re not seeing each other. I promise. I would have told you – do you trust me?”

Henry nodded: “Yeah … it’s just … kind of confusing. I mean … didn’t you hate each other?”

“We didn’t agree a long time ago,” Regina agreed, putting her hand gently on her son’s shoulder. “But … things change. People … as Miss Swan has so kindly come to show me … people can change, too.”

Henry smiled up at Emma, but then frowned down at the floor. “But … if things can change so easily … what happens if they change back? What if … you hate each other again?”

Emma locked eyes with Regina, taking her turn to answer their son’s concerns: “ _If _…__ that ever happened – if something pulled us apart – that wouldn’t change anything about how we feel about you.”

Regina didn’t like the sounds of it all, worrying for poor Henry stuck in the middle. “But Emma and I are just friends, Henry. You don’t need to worry.”

Henry looked between them, wide child’s eyes rushing to take in all of his parents’ information. “I think … if you make each other happy … then, I think you know what you should do.”

Emma suddenly didn’t know what to do with her hands. She felt awkward, with her son having just approved of her dating his mother. It was strange.

“Henry, we’re not asking for that,” Regina said instead, reaching down to give him a big hug. “But you are such a mature young man, and I love you. Thank you … for wanting me to be happy. For wanting us to be happy.”

When they pulled back, Henry stared inquisitively at her: “But why can’t you two go on a date or something and just see? Wouldn’t that tell you if you want to be together?”

Regina sighed. “We’ll see, alright? Nothing has to move that fast.”

“I don’t know,” Henry said in his charming, boyish way: “True love can be pretty fast …”

Regina smiled at her son’s smile and held him to her side – looking up to Emma with emotions running wild behind her eyes.

“Let’s uh … let’s go to my place and get some pizza,” Emma said, following after Henry to the door.

“Why don’t you come, Mom?” Henry offered, wrapping a scarf around his neck just over his jacket.

“No no,” Regina answered at once, shaking her head. “I think I just need some time to myself, but thank you. You two enjoy your time together.”

When Henry let himself out to head over to Emma’s car, Emma stayed back for a moment to analyze the uncertainty in Regina’s posture: “Are you alright?”

“I will be,” Regina smiled, waving her off. “Have fun, and don’t give him too much sugar.”

Regina sat on the couch after Emma and Henry had gone, wondering why she felt so out of place. The more she thought, she more she realized that she had always imagined everyone would be against her feelings for Emma. Especially Henry who had been put in the middle of their fighting before. Suddenly Regina was faced with the possibility that others in the town might not only approve of – but fully endorse – a relationship between herself and Emma. The idea was alarming in its enormity. If she and Emma were to make their feelings clear and see one another, any fallout could have larger repercussions. Was Regina willing to make that sacrifice for a chance at happiness?

Her head was still spinning later that night when she looked at her phone to see a short text from Emma.

**are you flipping out too? ******

It brought a smile to Regina’s face, answering: Well, I’ve been cooking since you two left, so what does that tell you?

**********the damage’s that bad, huh? ******** ** ** **

Regina chuckled, setting the freshly-baked pie on the counter top to cool, going back to her phone to see two more messages from Emma.

**************i love the way you handled that btw. you never cease to amaze me. ******** ** ** ** ** **

******************didn’t mean that to sound quite as dopey as it did …..** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Regina laughed, texting her back with a big smile: I like when you sound dopey, I must admit. ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**************************well then strap yourself in because i am apparently very dopey at heart ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Regina beamed: ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ****It’s called being a romantic, you idiot. Or should I say Miss Swan.**** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************dont ‘miss swan’ me right now – im with the kid, remember? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Just as Regina was laughing to herself, she received a text from Henry.

**************************************Emma’s in the washroom laughing her head off – are you guys texting? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Caught and humiliated, Regina could only be honest with her darling son: ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ****I’m sorry, Dear. Yes. She was texting me, but I’m sending her off now.**** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

**********************************************No don’t mom. It’s kind of great. I haven’t seen her this happy in a while. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

A minute later, as Regina was still re-reading his text, another dinged through.

**************************************************I support you guys, K? ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Tears rushed to Regina’s eyes, and she set down her phone to cry. She sat on the kitchen floor and cried happy tears until she heard another ding on her phone. Trying to gather herself, Regina reached up onto the counter behind her and brought the phone into her lap – sniffling back tears.

******************************************************crap. hes onto us. ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

And just like that, Regina knew she wanted to date the infuriating town sheriff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This next one was short as well, and I realized the last one was a bit of a cliffhanger ... so here is the next instalment! Enjoy and thanks to commenters who help give this story its momentum.


	18. Salsa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finds Regina dancing in the kitchen.

 

The end of the weekend brought Emma and Henry to Regina’s house on Mifflin Street where Henry used his key to let himself in. They were early, and were told Saturday that Regina would be working Sunday evening if they came early, and he didn’t want to interrupt his mother.

What Emma and Henry heard upon entering, however, had Emma grinning from ear-to-ear: it was some kind of Latin salsa music coming from the kitchen. Henry acted as if he was bored of the occurrence, turning and giving Emma a big hug before heading upstairs to put his things away. Could he not hear the music? Or was he really so used to the uncharacteristically upbeat music his mother had chosen? Or maybe Regina played such music all the time. It was an adorable thought.

Emma smirked as she closed the front door behind her, and let herself in closer, approaching the kitchen with real interest. She found Regina standing in front of the stove – oblivious to her presence – moving her feet in what Emma assumed was a proper salsa step. She was swaying her hips in a simple yet seductive pattern – carefree. Regina was barefoot but otherwise dressed with her usual pristine style, shaking her hips to the rhythm with an apron on and a tea towel tossed over her shoulder. Emma grinned, leaning in against the door frame with her arms crossing over her chest to take in the sight a little longer. Just when she thought she couldn’t love Regina more, the woman went and did something like that.

On an impromptu spin, Regina caught sight of Emma staring at her, and gasped, stumbling back against the counter.

“Swan! … Oh my God, you scared me!”

Immediately, Regina grabbed the small remote and paused the music she only enjoyed in the safety of her home. “Is Henry upstairs?”

Emma nodded, pushing herself up from the door frame to walk slowly toward Regina: “Come on, turn it back on … I kinda like the music.”

Regina looked up to her shyly, nervously undoing the apron from behind her.

“Don’t,” Emma smiled, reaching out for Regina’s hands. “I like it on you.”

Emma was not usually so bold with her, so Regina didn’t want to refuse, but she was confused. Emma wanted her to make a fool of herself? And in her apron? "Why …?”

“Because it makes you happy,” Emma said seriously, thumbs grazing over Regina’s hands as she pulled the blushing mayor a little closer. “Seeing you dance like that … you were so free. I really liked it … I’d like to see more of you like that.”

“I’ll _bet_  you’d like to see _more of me_  …” Regina teased, lifting her eyes only to see Emma leaning in and staring at her even more obviously. Eyes raking over Regina’s chest.

“I won’t deny anything …”

Regina blushed, gasping when Emma reached for the remote of her stereo system to play the song again. Without thinking, Regina lunged after her to try and grab the remote.

“No! Give it back to me!” Regina laughed, essentially pinning Emma’s lower back to the edge of her counter while she tried to make herself as tall as Emma in bare feet to grab it out of her hands. “Miss Swan! Give it to me this instant!”

“No!” Emma laughed back, holding it out of Regina’s reach – her whole body rushing with endorphins at the way Regina was pressed against her. Playful or not. “It’s mine now, Madam Mayor.”

Emma placed the remote behind her on the island counter and wrapped her other arm around Regina who faltered at the sensation of Emma’s arm holding her close.

“Que le den Candela?” Henry asked from the doorway, guessing the name of the song correctly. He smiled at the way Emma and Regina had both been standing closely, beaming at each other. But they pulled away the second he spoke, and he frowned at that.

“Yes, Dear,” Regina answered, clearing her throat. “Miss Swan seems content on stealing the remote and playing the song against my wishes …”

Emma rolled her eyes: “I like it. I don’t see why we have to turn it off.”

Henry shrugged: “Mom doesn’t like other people to know she likes Cuban and Puerto Rican music. But it’s really cool, Mom,” he finished, walking to the fridge to find a snack.

Emma laughed and reached down to slip off her boots while the music played: “Hey Henry, do you think your mom would teach me how to salsa?”

Then it was Regina’s turn to roll her eyes: “Oh dear Lord …”

“I don’t know,” Henry said over the music that was fading into another Latin beat: “You guys pulled apart when I walked in, so … maybe not if I’m around?”

Emma was stunned by his honest observation, blinking at their son and looking over to see that Regina was doing the same. Were they accidentally sending him the wrong message? Regina certainly hadn’t meant to imply that she was ashamed of her feelings for Emma. To prove that to Henry, she put on a little smile for him: “You would be okay to see Emma and I close with one another? Even after all that’s happened? … It wouldn’t upset you, Henry?”

Henry shrugged: “I just want you guys to be happy … and you’re always laughing together, and it’s kinda nice, Mom.”

Emma stood in the kitchen in her socks, putting her arms out in an impossibly stiff pose, as if she were about to waltz across the floor: “M’lady …”

Regina knew she had a choice. She could either refuse to show playfulness with Emma in front of Henry after he knew they had feelings for each other, or she could prove to him that there was nothing wrong with her feelings for Emma.

With an arched brow, Regina put her hands on her hips and smiled: “This will not do, Miss Swan. You have to _relax_ if you’re going to salsa. First I observe. Henry? Teach the woman.”

Henry’s joy beamed, setting his orange juice down to excitedly show his other mother the steps of the dance. Regina saw his excitement at being included, and her heart hummed with happiness. Henry was having the time of his life, showing Emma the steps from his perspective.

“But you step back …” he started, his brows knitting together as he looked to his mom: “Wait … is she leading …?”

Regina blinked at the question, never having thought of it before – Regina had only ever dated men before. Should Regina lead? Would she want to lead? Should she?

“Teach me the leading part,” Emma winked to Regina over Henry’s head, “And we’ll decide some other time.”

“Okay!” Henry exclaimed excitedly, standing beside Emma instead. “Okay, so use this foot here … Yeah, and then step together …”

Regina watched her son with great pride. Ever since he was a baby, he had enjoyed all kinds of music, but once he realized Regina liked to cook to Latin songs, it quickly became one of his favorite genres. Henry loved to cook with his mother – it was one thing that had always bonded them. No matter how tense things had become in their house through the years, they always cooked together every now and again, usually to the upbeat music that filled the kitchen there with Emma getting all the steps wrong.

“She’s not getting it,” Henry laughed, earning a shove from the town sheriff to his shoulder that only had him laughing harder.

“Hey, it’s not easy, Kid!”

“It’s one of the simplest dances out there,” Regina said with a low chuckle: “You’re over-thinking it. Here, give me your hand.”

Henry stood aside, picking up his juice in-hand while he watched Regina take both of Emma’s hands and look her in the eyes: “Don’t look at your feet, Miss Swan. Look at me and just _move_.”

Emma was about to doubt the tactic when she felt herself loosening up.

“There …” Regina smiled, wriggling Emma’s arms when they tensed again. “The salsa isn’t really about the steps … It’s about learning to move to the rhythm with a little flare of your hips … You learn the steps when you’re ready.”

Henry wanted to laugh at the awkward way Emma was trying to dance so as not to get too close with Regina, but he found his mothers’ happiness brought him an authentic smile instead. They both seemed so free and content together. He hadn’t really understood the real world importance of love between partners before, but watching Emma completely unwind to the simple instructions of his mom made him see that love could brighten a day or pick up a mood with a single glance.

By the time the next song came on, Emma was more relaxed and began enjoying the rhythm. Henry chuckled and left his mothers to dance together, hoping it might bond them closer. He went up to his room still beaming and shaking his head at Emma’s two left feet.

“Where’s … where’s the kid?” Emma asked, twisting around to see that they were suddenly alone.

“He left a few minutes ago,” Regina smiled, pulling Emma just an inch closer. “But don’t go getting any ideas …”

Emma grinned: “Me …?”

“Yes, you,” Regina chuckled, moving her hips in earnest as she stepped even closer. “Real salsa is not this close … but something tells me you still need to loosen up a little …”

Emma’s eyes dropped to painted lips as Regina spoke.

“And something tells me it might help to feel what your hips can do …”

As Regina spoke, she turned with her back to Emma, and moved her hips in small figure eights, glancing over her shoulder to see Emma’s mouth hanging open. They were just nearly touching – Emma’s hands stiff at her sides.

“Here,” Regina teased gently, taking Emma’s hands and putting them on her hips. “Feel …”

Naturally, Emma pulled Regina flush against her, inhaling into her hair.

“No no no,” Regina laughed, the notes catching in her throat when Emma’s hands moved down and then back up her sides. She could feel Emma’s breath in her ear … “This … this is not salsa …”

“Are you sure …?”

Regina pulled away and turned, clearing her throat and tossing Emma a mock glare. “Miss Swan … Henry is just upstairs.”

Emma arched one brow: “And if he wasn’t?”

Regina grinned: “Quit reading into the things I say.”

“Then quit thinly-veiling the things you say, and just come out with it.”

Regina combed stray strands of her own hair behind her ears – a nervous habit that made Emma smile. “Miss Swan-”

“You know what that does to me …”

“ _Emma_ ,” Regina started, pulling her apron off. “I … I have never …”

“Dated a woman before? … I know.”

Regina just looked at her, prompting Emma to continue.

“I know, but just like you proved to me all it takes is a little relaxation … it’s the same with dating.”

“Just go with it?”

“… No, loosen up those hips!” Emma teased, putting her arms up when Regina threw her apron at her. She couldn’t stop laughing even when Regina threw the tea towel at her and started chasing her around the island. “Ahh! What did I do to deserve this?”

“If I catch you, Swan-” 

“In that skirt?! Fat chance!”

They chased each other for another minute until Emma pivoted and grabbed Regina as the turn of events had them switching roles. And with Regina in her arms again, Emma backed her up against the counter to minimize the woman’s squirming. When Regina realized just how strong Emma was, and that she would have to use magic to even the score, she felt her heart beat a little quicker. Emma’s strength was arousing her, and when she realized it, Regina’s thrashing settled.

“Regina …” Emma said softly, watching Regina relax against her. “Will you … would you consider going out with me? On a real date?”

Regina looked into Emma’s eyes before a grin found its way to her lips: “If you take me to some grease pit …”

Emma laughed, both hands on Regina’s hips. Steadying them both. “I promise to take you out to a nice place. With salads. And other vegetables. You know, carrots and … stuff …”

“The only vegetable you can think of is carrots?”

“Actually … all I can think about is doing _this_.”

With that, Emma leaned closer and kissed Regina just beneath her ear, as innocently as she could manage. Regina was softer than she imagined – warm and sensitive to touch. But when Regina shivered in her arms, Emma pulled back and kissed under the other ear. Suddenly all of Regina’s body was ignited with excitement, and Emma could feel it in the way Regina moved. It was a sensual moment Emma didn’t want to give up, but she reluctantly pulled back because she sensed Regina wasn’t quite ready for more.

Regina thought she could melt into a pool on the floor, holding onto Emma to keep herself steady. She had never had the urge to kiss Emma on the lips before, but suddenly Regina could hardly control herself. She was desperate to know what kind of kisser Emma was. How would it feel to kiss her?

The Latin salsa music played around them as Regina stared down at Emma’s lips. Suddenly Emma couldn’t seem to help herself from reaching out and touching Regina’s berry-red lips. They were always so full and taunting, and that beautiful scar just above her lip … Emma wanted to feel it against her lips.

“So …” Emma breathed, sweeping her thumb gently over Regina’s bottom lip. “Would you …? Go out with me?”

Regina closed her eyes at the deceivingly simple touch, melting: “I …”

“You’re so beautiful,” Emma whispered helplessly, watching Regina’s blush deepen. She wanted to kiss her. It was a thought that kept cycling through her mind until Regina finally found the words to answer.

“Yes …”

“You’re making it awfully hard not to kiss you,” Emma confessed without meaning to, removing her thumb when she worried Regina might do something as heinously seductive as take it between her teeth.

“Oh … Am I wanting you to restrain yourself …?” Regina whispered back, eyes lifting open with apparent lust sparkling back at the stunned town sheriff.

“Uh … w …”

“Come now, Miss Swan,” Regina teased, chuckling when Emma supported her back with strong hands. “Full words …”

Wordlessly, Emma leaned in as if to kiss Regina, but thought better of it when it felt as though Regina was pulling back from her. She still held the curved hips in her hands when she grinned next to Regina’s ear and murmured to her: “I’ve been thinking about you … thinking about … touching you. Kissing you maybe …”

Regina swatted her and moved out of Emma’s hold with a smirk: “I’m going to get even with you for those comments, Swan.”

“If you agree to let me take you out … you can do whatever you want to me.”

Regina whipped around, staring at a sheepish-looking sheriff.

“… Or … pretend I said something less raunchy …?”

“Idiot,” Regina smiled.

“But I’m your idiot maybe …?”

“We’ll see,” Regina chuckled. “This Saturday, pick me up on time and take me some place adequate … and we’ll just see.”

Emma couldn’t help but laugh: “Boy, you sure have a lot of confidence in my ability to pick the place.”

“Oh, and one more thing …” Regina drawled in a voice that had Emma incapacitated as the mayor leaned in and traced shaky lips with a slender finger. “… Dress to impress, _Miss Swan_.”

All Emma could do was blink as Regina left her in the kitchen as the surprisingly upbeat and promising music engulfed her.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to all the supporters. I wouldn't keep posting this story like I do if it weren't for all of you. Thanks to all commenters for inspiring me to post so frequently!


	19. Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma arrives at Regina's place to take her out at last. Teasing ensues ...

 

When Regina heard a knock at the door, she froze. She was upstairs, anxious about the first date between herself and Miss Swan, but excited at the same time. Henry had offered to stay with his grandparents so his mother would have one less thing to worry about, but somehow that made Regina even more nervous. Would that mean Emma would want to come inside after the date? Would Emma want to stay the night? Regina didn’t think she was ready for the pressures of that.

Another knock sounded at the door as Regina made her way downstairs, urging herself to step carefully so as not to trip over her own two feet. Standing at the front door, Regina took in a deep breath and opened it as the composed woman she liked to be around others.

“Miss Swan.”

Emma grinned: “I thought we agreed you only use that when you’re trying to rile me up.”

Regina ignored Emma’s outfit purposefully as she motioned for Emma to step into the foyer. She only allowed herself to stare at Emma’s slender form as the sheriff stepped inside. “Do I really have to try?”

Emma laughed, not really knowing what to do with her hands as she had worn a tight-fitting black dress and heels. She still wore her red pleather jacket, but the pockets on it were too small to use so she slapped her hands against her thighs and then held them behind her back in military form.

Regina carefully pulled her eyes from the door to the coat rack where she went to put on the trench coat she usually reserved for rainy days. “Is it still raining, Miss- … Emma?”

Emma was too busy staring from Regina’s immaculate heels to the seam in her stockings to listen. She was still letting her eyes travel up the backs of Regina’s legs when she heard her name. She snapped her eyes up to Regina’s only to see she had been caught staring. And a particularly magnificent eyebrow was arching at her in accusation.

Regina scoffed, as if she were offended: “Is this how the evening will go? I speak and you pretend to listen?”

“No! No no, I’m sorry,” Emma sighed, clearing her throat. “Sorry. I just … You’re just … beautiful. You look really great.”

Regina smiled and closed her coat around her waist to finally appraise Emma’s outfit choice. She reminded herself she was not allowed to appraise Emma’s body – it was too bold, and she preferred not to give all her cards away at once. “Yes, well. Nice dress, Sheriff.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Emma chuckled: “Sheriff is almost as bad as Miss Swan.”

“What?” Regina laughed back, untucking her short hair from the collar of her coat. “How on earth does _that_ rile you up? It’s just your job title.”

“Yeah, but when you say it …”

Regina rolled her eyes, heading for her door as she grabbed her purse. “Come on. Let’s give this whole date idea a try.”

“A try?” Emma whined, hurrying after her.

Regina kept her teasing reluctance up until they were finished their dinner at a very fancy restaurant Emma had driven to just near the perimeter of the town, where an older couple kept a small restaurant mostly of specialty items. There was only one other couple there, and the mood was romantic. The lighting was dim and aromas were pleasant and rich.

“I’m officially impressed,” Regina said, smiling sincerely up at Emma who melted with the show of her happiness. “This place is a treasure.”

“You deserve better,” Emma said softly, her fingers reaching out, turning Regina’s hand over and tracing her thumb over the inside of Regina’s wrist. It was a thoughtlessly sensual act that had Regina trying to remain unaffected. “You deserve so much better, but for that, I’d have to drive you out of this town and into my end of the world. And … well, I didn’t think that was first date material.”

Regina smirked: “Yeah, let’s maybe save the possible loss of all my memories for another time.”

Emma looked down to Regina’s wrist. For a long moment, the mayor looked, too, wondering what was so special about it.

“So,” Emma said, finally pulling her hand back to her own side of the table, dropping her arms to her sides and her hands in her lap. “Next time it’s _your_ turn to impress _me_.”

“Why do I feel like Granny’s would do the trick?” Regina teased, laughing at the look on Emma’s face. “You know, _Miss Swan_ … I would really enjoy creating a special date for you.”

“There you go, riling me up again,” Emma said with seductive eyes that suddenly settled all-too-sensually on Regina’s. Watching the glow return with a fire in the mayor’s eyes that was disabling.

“I like that you’re so easy.”

Emma held back her moan, clearing her throat instead. Unable to look away from those drawing eyes. Was Regina trying to seduce her? God, Regina never had to try … “Regina …”

“Why do I have the feeling,” Regina mumbled hotly, leaning a little closer onto the table: “That all I would have to do to impress you is wear something a little tighter?”

Emma’s mouth hung open for the second time that night, eyes dropping the small glimpse of cleavage Regina’s stylish, royal blue dress already afforded. More skin – Emma didn’t know if she could handle seeing more of Regina out in public.

“Or maybe just cut a little lower,” Regina simmered, leaning onto the table just enough to watch Emma shiver.

Emma was still openly staring at Regina’s chest when the older waiter came around to ask if they would like another serving of wine. She closed her mouth with a click of her teeth and simply nodded, watching the grin on Regina’s face at her victory. Regina clearly saw it as such, pleased with herself as she took a sip of wine after the waiter left them once again.

“Tease,” Emma observed more than anything, inhaling the aroma of her white wine as she let her eyes wander over the changing expressions of her date.

“… You know, I’ve never been called that before,” Regina answered simply, shrugging and setting her glass down again. “But I never … really felt like this before either. It was always rather easy or completely horrible. So I suppose … there is a lot here that’s new for me.”

“Like the fact that your date’s wearing a dress?” Emma teased into her wine, blinking up at Regina’s smile.

“Yes … men tended not to wear those in the enchanted forest.”

Emma chuckled and set her glass down, too. Reaching for Regina’s hand again. “Well … I like that you’re a bit of a tease. I mean, I never thought it would get me so …”

“Worked up?” Regina smirked, leaning forward again with arousal at how easily she could wrap Emma around her finger. “Yes, you’re definitely easy …”

“Well, I think it’s only fair we see if _you_ like being teased, too, Your Majesty,” Emma implied, her thumb running down into Regina’s open palm, massaging the soft skin she found there.

“No … I … I don’t think I’d like it,” Regina answered with panic, breathy and raw. Little did the mayor know, Regina had just given herself away.

“Well we’ll never know if we don’t try,” Emma smiled affectionately, releasing Regina’s hand to signal over to the waiter. “Cheque please!”

Emma insisted on paying for them both, and afterward helped Regina into her jacket before they hurried out in the rain and climbed into her car with a quick slam of their doors. They laughed but didn’t speak much back on the way to Regina’s house until they pulled up into the driveway.

Regina was surprised when Emma put the car into park and simply smiled at her. “Well, this has been … one of the best dates I’ve ever had.”

Regina’s eyes pierced into her immediately, swirling with confusion and sudden jealousy: “… _One_ of the best dates?”

Then Emma grinned, giving it all away – she’d been teasing her. “Yeah, well, to be fair I haven’t kissed you yet, so …”

Regina’s expression became serious. “Would you … want to? Kiss me?”

“Are you kidding me? … Have you seen you?” Emma teased again, looping her arm around the back of Regina’s head rest. The gesture warmed Regina completely and made her feel shier all at once. Emma was clearly experienced with women and Regina was not. It made Regina wildly self-conscious. “Have you felt the chemistry between us? … I mean …”

“Emma …”

“Hey, I’m teasing, Regina. You know I don’t expect anything, right?”

Regina lowered her head: “I … do too, you know … want to kiss you. I must admit to a certain curiosity …”

There was silence between them.

“You are?”

“Yes,” Regina whispered, speaking a little louder so the rain on the windshield wouldn’t drown her out. “And … that scares me. I don’t know what I’m doing really – what we’re doing, and … if we rushed into anything and ruined this for ourselves …”

“We won’t rush into anything,” Emma said seriously with a hand on Regina’s upper back to soothe her. “I know I’m easily worked up or whatever, but I can control myself when it comes down to it. I promise, alright? We talk before I try anything. Okay?”

“That sounds so boring,” Regina teased shyly, sighing: “I don’t mean to make things difficult. I just … I feel a little … unsettled. Like I’m completely out of my comfort zone. I mean, I’m usually the one being pursued, but having these feelings for you like I do … it’s … all a little new for me, to be teasing you so much. It’s … confusing.”

“Secretly,” Emma grinned, squinting for effect. “I like it.”

Regina’s lips pulled up with pride and joy: “Emma …?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you … come in? For coffee? I’m … I’m still a little shaky, but I’d really like the company.”

Before Regina heard an actual answer, Emma had taken her keys out from the car and was running around it to Regina’s door. Pulling it open. Regina smiled and took Emma’s hand, standing from the vehicle she had long ago deemed a death trap. She was silently cursing herself for the invitation. What was she thinking? She was so nervous to have Emma at her place alone on their date. Why had it felt so right to bring it up? Regina cursed her decision momentarily as the two of them hurried through the rain to the house.

When Regina let them in and hung up their coats, she relaxed to the energy Emma always had about her – it was a comforting sort of ease that put Regina at ease, too. Emma always let her be herself.

“Do you have any of those throw blankets or something?” Emma chuckled, interrupting her thoughts with a shiver. “I’m freezing cold!”

Regina pointed her to the living room where there was a pile of small blankets waiting to keep somebody warm. Emma was quick to kick off her heels and bolt to the couch, draping a blanket around herself, and tossing one to Regina.

“I’m still wet,” Emma shivered, pulling the blanket so tightly around herself, she could hardly move her arms. She adjusted herself on the couch properly as Regina stepped calmly into the living room and sat on the opposite couch.

“Oh … are you?”

Emma lifted her eyes to Regina’s to see that familiar tease – was Regina really teasing about what Emma thought she was? Was she implying she thought Emma was … whet? Emma stared at her in question.

Regina was trying to wipe the grin off her face when she simply folded the blanket Emma had thrown to her.

“Aren’t you … cold?” Emma asked, watching Regina’s mannerisms carefully. She looked completely in control of herself.

“Well, I figured if you’re going to try your hand at teasing me, Miss Swan, I wouldn’t go warming myself. Best to let you do it, isn’t that right?”

Emma took in the sight of Regina perched so extravagantly on the couch, arms out and grin confident. It was the Regina she had first known, and the Regina that had always unravelled her, but if it was a tease Regina wanted … Emma would not disappoint.

Standing from her own couch, Emma took a few steps over to Regina’s, and stopped. Staring at her with a lower tone of voice than she had meant to use: “… Just how warm do you wanna get?”

Regina ignored the tingle she felt from Emma’s flirtation, finding herself relax significantly every time Emma appeared uncertain. So she settled into the couch with a smirk: “I don’t know, Miss Swan … I’m pretty cold …”

She saw Emma gulp down her disbelief, and it brightened Regina’s smile.

Emma was so beautiful when she appeared so uncertain of herself, despite her maddening beauty and romantic charm. Regina looked her directly in the eye and taunted her: “Well, are you going to just stand there, Miss Swan? Or do you need further invitation?”

And then Emma did something Regina hadn’t predicted. She took the extra two steps to seat herself on Regina’s couch, leaning over the infuriating, commanding brunette with a hand that settled with startling intensity on Regina’s knee. For a moment, Regina jumped, and then she settled when she saw Emma staring at her body again. She certainly did that a lot … maybe there was nothing to be worried about. It was just staring after all.

Regina gasped when Emma’s hand moved down her stockings to the hem of her skirt – freezing in place with a wicked grin on Emma’s lips: “I thought I’d try by touching … and you tell me … Are you feeling warmer?”

“… Hot,” Regina breathed nervously, licking her lips and staring at Emma’s. That hand was inching up from her knee, and suddenly the sensations were taking her over like a fevered chill. She didn’t understand how one touch could heat and freeze her all at once.

“Already?” Emma teased, moving her hand back to Regina’s knee to start an even slower ascent up tanned, inviting thighs. “You tell me when …”

“When!” Regina gasped once Emma’s hand had only migrated down an inch from her knee. The gentle touch had fire racing under her skin. “Jesus … Emma …”

Emma smiled with pride, grinning at the mayor she was leaned so exquisitely over: “So who’s easily teased now, huh …?”

Regina’s gaze pierced into her, and Emma simmered back in silence. It felt all too good touching Regina, as if there were magic building up inside of her. The feeling was just as strong. She felt power at the unsteadiness in Regina’s expression, smiling and retreating both of her hands to lean over the couch – perched just over Regina to see the mayor slowly slip down underneath her. Those big brown eyes held her stare, and Emma finally found her words.

“How was that … for a tease?”

Regina wanted to pull Emma own on top of her – spread her legs and kiss her – but she controlled herself. As unsteady as she was, she managed to control herself with a tight-lipped smile and a sparkle in her eyes. “… Not bad, Miss Swan. Not bad at all …”

 


	20. Tease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fun teasing continues.

 

“This doesn’t count,” Regina whispered, reluctantly slapping Emma’s hand away when it lifted to her hip – Emma still draped so appetizingly on top of her. “No touching. My teases are spoken.”

“Oh, we’re playing by the rule of your teases?” Emma scoffed, reaching for Regina’s left wrist with a smirk in her eyes that had Regina completely breathless.

“Swan-“

“Oh it’s okay – we’re just playing by _your_ rules,” Emma teased evilly, bringing Regina’s fingers to her lips while the mayor watched in shock to see Emma’s lips part and a tongue dart out.

Regina was wet. She could feel herself reacting the moment Emma took her index finger into the warm, wet mouth she had fantasized about so many times before. Regina closed her eyes, trying to ground herself as Emma used her lips, tongue and teeth to drive her wild. Teeth nipped at her finger until Emma’s mouth closed over the side of it – sucking and licking. Regina thought she would combust.

“I … Emma …” Regina moaned accidentally, licking her own lips instinctively. She wanted to be kissing Emma. She wanted to feel that talented tongue slip through her lips …

It was entirely distracting to watch Regina’s reaction – so distracting that Emma couldn’t keep up her teasing. She was forced to pull Regina’s finger from her mouth only to re-group herself and start in on Regina’s thumb. That digit seemed somehow more sensitive as Regina squirmed when she rushed her tongue from Regina’s palm to the pad of her finger.

Regina was so sensitive at that moment that she could barely stand the sensual treatment of her fingers. She, too, was worked up, but Regina did not have the ultimate control to shake it off. Instead, she wrapped her hand around Emma’s right bicep and tugged her closer. All in one motion, Emma pressed herself down over Regina, still holding the mayor’s wrist in her hand with hooded eyes.

At the instant feeling of satisfaction to her lust, Regina moaned again and wished she could spread her legs to pull Emma between them. If only her dress weren’t so tight …

“Are … you sure you … meant to do that?” Emma whispered, pulling Regina from her blind enjoyment by insinuating their positions with a down cast of her eyes. When Regina looked down to see that Emma was lying on top of her, she blinked up at the blonde saviour.

“I … I didn’t mean to …”

“It’s okay,” Emma moaned back, bracing herself with both her hands on either side of Regina’s shoulders to get some leverage. As much as she wanted to slip one of her legs between Regina’s, she kept herself awkwardly on top of the beautiful brunette. “I … I really like this, but I told you I’d keep my head, so I intend on doing that.”

“… Have you thought of this?” Regina asked so innocently, Emma could hardly contain herself. She looked down into Regina’s eyes and swallowed hard.

“… Yes.”

“Just like this?”

Emma swallowed her full answer down again, parting her lips slowly. “… No. Not like this.”

Regina licked her own lips, suddenly feeling cold again. “I … I’m not ready to …”

“I know. It’s okay.”

“But I can’t stop teasing you,” Regina whined for the first time in Emma’s presence, and it made Emma want her more. She was so lovable and desperate to be touched. Emma wanted to be the one to please her – to touch her and see the satisfaction on Regina’s beautiful face.

“It’s okay … I like it.”

“But I don’t want to give you mixed signals,” Regina said seriously, looking down between them again to see a very real glimpse of Emma’s cleavage under the blanket of perfect, golden hair.

Emma couldn’t help but smile at Regina’s obvious appraisal of her body: “No mixed signals here. You like what you see … I definitely like what _I_ see …”

“But … you’re to touch me, aren’t you?” Regina asked more boldly than Emma was ready for. The very thought had Emma visibly shivering over her.

“… Y-Yeah … but, I … it’s …”

“You really want to, don’t you?” Regina asked, raising her hands to Emma’s sides. Touching <i>her<i> as innocently as their chemistry would allow. “Touch me, I mean.”

“Of _course_ I want to.”

Regina’s eyes were panicked again suddenly, but then calmed on their own: “Where …?”

“Could we … not have this conversation when I’m lying right on top of you?” Emma asked, clearly pained by the missed opportunity. There was a need in her eyes that burned so brightly, Regina found entertainment in the denial of Emma’s desire. It was exciting to know she could so easily overwhelm Emma with need.

“As you wish,” Regina said at last, removing her hands from Emma’s sides to watch the sheriff sit up stiffly. Breathing out, breathing in. “Are you quite alright, Sheriff?”

Emma stared at Regina sideways, her gaze piercing and seductive. The very look silenced Regina completely. It made her want to give in and experience everything Emma imagined.

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m just … trying not to …” Emma started, smacking her own thighs as she stood and then promptly sat again. Groaning. “I’m just taking a second … I need a second.”

“To stop thinking about touching me?”

Emma all but growled. “Regina!”

“Sorry.”

But she wasn’t. She was enjoying Emma’s slow misery. It was not only entertaining but entirely arousing. Regina found herself desiring to make it up to Emma after all was said and done – _I want to pull your knees apart and apologize with my tongue_.

“Oh my god!” Emma chuckled, gaping at Regina with a breathless sort of shock. "What?!"

Had Regina just said her thoughts _aloud_?! She was so humiliated she thought she might faint, but instead she ended up standing to head into the kitchen to clear her mind. What was she doing? What was she going to do?

She stood against the counter by her sink and just closed her eyes, trying to focus. She was on a date with Emma Swan, and she was teasing entirely too much. Her feelings for Emma were so powerful it was numbing Regina to all sense of reason. She didn’t know what that meant, but she was throbbing painfully at the very thought of licking Emma’s fingers again. She moaned at the thought of licking more. She wanted to be close with Emma – to share herself physically – but she wasn’t ready. Damnit, she wasn’t ready.

“Do you want me to go?” Emma asked simply by the entrance to the kitchen, approaching slowly when Regina turned toward her with red eyes. “Hey … are you okay?”

Emma closed the space between them and traced her thumbs under Regina’s eyes while Regina held intimately to her wrists. Tears were building, but none had spilled, and both women were surprised at the sudden wealth of emotion from the usually-stoic mayor.

“I’m sorry if I pushed you-” Emma stuttered before Regina shook her head.

“No … I … it’s embarrassing …”

“Tell me,” Emma whispered, worried for the woman she loved.

“I’m … I’m sexually frustrated.”

“That’s normal,” Emma smiled, glad it wasn’t anything more serious. “I am, too. That’s totally normal – you don’t have to be ashamed, Regina.”

“No, I mean … I … I’m … frustrated. And I have been … for a while.”

Emma understood immediately, her mouth going dry at the thought. “… For how long?”

Regina tried not to flush with humiliation at the topic, chewing on her bottom lip while Emma’s loving hands cupped her face. “Since … you appeared in my bedroom that night …?”

Emma’s eyes bugged out with exaggeration: “Oh my god – it’s been like … seven weeks?!”

“Yeah, say it a little louder,” Regina tried to tease: “I don’t think the Charmings heard you.”

Emma didn’t know what to do with her hands, so she put them softly on Regina’s exposed shoulders. “Why …? What’s wrong? I don’t understand.”

“Well, that night you appeared in my room … it was because …”

Yup, Emma was going to make her say it.

“It-was-because-I-was-thinking-of-you-while-I-was-touching-myself. Alright?”

Emma couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even move.

“This is _not_ helping me feel any better about sharing something so horrifying.”

Emma snapped out of her shock and picked Regina’s face up with a smile: “I … I’m sorry it’s been bothering you, but I guess I’m just surprised it’s happening to you, too.”

“ _What_?”

“Yeah, remember when I told you a long time ago that I was experimenting with magic because you appeared at my place a few times?”

Regina’s eyes went suddenly wide, and Emma chuckled.

“Yeah. Same reason. But that’s no reason to give it up!” she teased. “Christ – if I did that … I think I would have lost my mind looong ago.”

“How long?” Regina asked honestly, looking to Emma with eyes of honey and cinnamon. It was as if Emma was put in a trance, answering the humiliating question without pause.

“A year.”

“… You’ve known you felt this way about me for a _year_?” Suddenly it was Regina’s turn to hold Emma’s face in her hands, smiling affectionately at her. “My God, Swan … And I’ve been teasing you all this time.”

“I don’t mind it,” Emma answered, immediately looking to Regina’s lips. “Just don’t give up on me or run away, and I’ll be fine.”

Regina felt her heart beating faster: “I wish I was ready now …”

“It’s okay that you’re not.”

“I know, but …” Regina started, suddenly realizing there _was_ something she felt ready to do. With the single desire rushing through her, Regina closed the space between them and pulled Emma close to land a single kiss on her lips. At least, it started as only one kiss.

It was their first kiss, and all at once, Regina had no control over herself. She melted against Emma even when the saviour was too stunned at first to respond. Regina moaned openly when Emma began kissing her back in earnest – arms encompassing Regina’s waist. The mayor drew back only to take Emma’s mouth at a different angle, moving with her. Pulling and pushing to satisfy the pressure of Emma’s lips she so desperately needed.

“Mmm …” Regina panted, surprised with the intensity of feelings that shot through her. It felt like magic was encompassing her, but she hadn’t done a thing. Her entire body tingled – Emma’s lips and hands arousing her so seriously that she felt the uncomfortable throb of need between her legs begin a painful rhythm. “Mmm!”

Emma whimpered in turn, pulling back only to start another more aggressive kiss that melted Regina from the inside out. They stood kissing against the counter for a minute before Regina couldn’t stand it any further. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and the very sensation of Emma’s body pressing to hers was enough to feel as aroused as if she was being touched all over her body. And then Emma’s tongue swept over her bottom lip, and Regina’s knees gave out.

“I’m sorry,” Regina mumbled in apology as she literally fell against Emma only to try steadying herself against the counter. She looked away with embarrassment, bringing a hand up to her swollen lips to try and forget how much she needed Emma. It was a real desperation.

“You’re pretty easy yourself,” Emma teased, raking her eyes over the delectable mess she had so easily made of Regina Mills. “I can’t wait to touch you … _God_ , you’re so … responsive-”

“Alright alright,” Regina chuckled, putting her hand out. Landing it accidentally against Emma’s chest. “I … I’m fine. I just … it’s been a while since I’ve been kissed … like that.”

“First time for me,” Emma admitted lustfully, licking her lips when Regina finally did look her in the eyes again.

“Miss Swan …”

The term of endearment had Emma closing the space between them again – initiating the kiss that time around. Her fingers combed into Regina’s hair as they pulled into another kiss, open-mouthed. Emma moved her body against Regina’s as their lips kneaded together, tongues pushing and massaging.

“I want … you …” Emma whispered between kisses, feeling Regina’s wicked teeth tease her bottom lip. _Jesus, was there anything Regina couldn’t do?_

“Wait … I can’t …” Regina panted between kisses, pulling back to note that her knees were still shaky and Emma had planted her leg between them. “I … it’s been too long, and … I can’t … trust myself at this … moment.”

Emma braced herself with her hands on Regina’s hips. Panting. “Yeah … I … I think that’s smart …”

They both stared at each other for another moment before Regina gestured to her coffee maker. “Would you … actually like some coffee, maybe?”

“No thank you,” Emma smiled. “If I … don’t leave now, I have a feeling there will be a repeat occurrence in the near future. The very near future …”

Regina nodded, trying not to let on how desperately she wanted to feel Emma’s lips on hers again. It wasn’t smart, but it was a desire that ran too deep to deny. It was a passion that was painful when denied, but Regina tried to appear strong.

Emma walked as best she could to the foyer and tried slipping on her heels while leaning against the wall. She paused in confusion when Regina crouched down in front of Emma on her knees, taking one of Emma’s heels in her hands. Was Regina helping her into her shoes? On her knees?

The shock on Emma’s face gave Regina a wicked grin: “I … like you in heels. That’s all.”

The very sight of Regina on her knees made Emma very weak, but she slipped her naked foot into the heel all the same, trying not to feel too much like Cinderella and her true love finding her at last. Trying to compose herself and not tackle said true love to the ground for a sex session that lasted into the morning. She definitely didn’t want that …

“Are you alright?” Regina teased, each of her hands on Emma’s heels as the blonde stared down at her. Speechless. “What do you find so shocking, Miss Swan?”

“You are about five seconds from another kiss, Madam Mayor.”

Regina chuckled and pulled herself up to stand – taking her time to gaze up Emma’s legs and finally over the strong arms that never ceased to intrigue her. Could Emma lift her? Pin her against the wall? Regina blinked to dismiss the racy thoughts – it had absolutely been _too long_.

“Sorry … is uh … is there any way you would accept a ride home?”

“Oh no you don’t,” Emma teased, slipping on her coat but not bothering to pull her tucked hair out from the collar. She had other things on her mind of much greater importance. “I don’t think I can … I think a nice walk in the cold night air will do me good.”

Regina opened the door and saw it had stopped raining. “I suppose that’s acceptable … you don’t want a cab either?”

“Nope. I’ll walk.”

As their date came to an obvious end, Emma stood just outside of Regina’s door and looked back to Regina with love in her eyes. The adoration was tangible. “I can’t believe you kissed me first, you little minx.”

“Yes, well,” Regina chuckled. “I have the feeling that you would have done it sooner if you weren’t waiting for me to make the first move.”

Emma laughed again: “Guilty as charged.”

“Will you … wait for me to make the first move again? … For other things?” Regina asked, leaning against the frame of her front door for support. “Because you don’t have to.”

“I just don’t want you to be afraid I’m going to take liberties, Regina.”

“I … wouldn’t mind if you surprised me sometimes. Just … keep in mind I … I’m frustrated. So don’t be too cruel. But I would … tell you. If it was too much.” Was Regina shifting nervously on her feet? Emma thought she had never seen anything so adorable as the world’s most powerful woman shifting anxiously at the thought of a romantic kiss.

“Will do, Ma’am,” Emma teased, tipping her head as she leaned in and swept an arm gently around Regina. She took her time so as to feel whether or not the mayor was in the mood for another kiss, and eventually pulled the shorter woman close. Kissing her. It was a kiss just like Regina had imagined Emma might go about it. It was a kiss that was at once confident and careful. Loving and sexy.

“Wow …” Regina found herself exhaling, blinking her eyes open to Emma’s equally loving appraisal.

When Emma pulled back, she kissed Regina on the nose and smirked when the mayor pretended to hate the gesture – glaring playfully.

“Goodnight, Em-ma.”

“Night Regina!” Emma laughed with glee, waving over her shoulder as she hurried around the wet grass to the walkway.

“Be safe!” Regina called out, watching Emma slip off her heels at the sidewalk and walk barefoot in the grass in the direction of her apartment. Regina sighed as she finally closed the door and locked it. Grinning at the turn of events that their date had brought. Emma had kissed her back – Emma had wanted her. And those hands … Emma had needed her.

Regina thought about trying to touch herself, but the moment she did, she knew she would be too mortified if Emma was brought to her room by magic as she would know the reason for her transport. Instead, Regina took a shower and tried to cool herself off by reading a long, boring book.

When she went to plug her phone in for the night, Regina chuckled at her notification of seven unread texts.

**giving it a try tonight?**

Regina scoffed to herself, shaking her head as her eyes skimmed the next text.

**no? alright … but you’re missing out.**

**not that i would know ..**

Regina laughed at Emma’s sometimes awkward sense of humor that never failed to entertain her.

**i’m trying not to tease you because well you know ……. and my spellings good right?**

**does spelling get you off?**

Regina let out a burst of laughter before desire settled again in her belly, reminding her just how desperately she _wanted_ to get off. She wanted Emma to get her off …

**er ……. nothing. i will not say anything to tease you. i just wanted to say hi**

**so hi**

Regina moaned with humor to herself and laid on her side, typing out a message back to the ridiculously incredible Emma Swan.

**In order of your questions, no no yes and maybe.**

**As for your greeting mid-conversation, hello back.**

Regina set her phone on her nightstand, trying deny just how desperately she wanted to hear back from Emma until she heard the *ping* sound from beside her. She made a show of not reaching for it immediately, although she quickly rolled her eyes at her own denial. So she picked up the phone and read the next two unread texts:

**what else gets you off????**

**shit. im really not trying to tease but i just need to know. for reasons …..**

As Regina was reading, another text came through:

**for no reason! no reasson! oh god please dont think im a pervert …….**

At the next text, Regina laughed out loud in the emptiness of her house:

**im not fucking myself!!!! im sorry ohgodwhathaveidone**

Regina’s laughter eased as a grin tugged at the corner of her mouth – inspiration striking as she replied.

**What gets YOU off, Miss Swan?**

Regina could just imagine – especially since Emma wasn’t responding – what Emma’s reaction was to her text. It was arousing Emma. So Regina tried another, recalling the conversation Ruby had initiated at the diner.

**Likely not spelling or punctuation … but perhaps a light spanking?**

Regina’s cheeks went red when she sent it, wondering if maybe she shouldn’t have, but Emma’s response was immediate as they started a text conversation.

**JESUSWJAT???**

**Ruby told me what you were speaking about. Remember? I sensed it was information I wanted to remember, so I filed it away.**

**omg ……. you cannot just say something like that …..**

**Would you prefer I did it?**

There was another six minutes until Emma responded, and all the while Regina closed her eyes and imagined how Emma might have liked to please herself. The thought was so exciting that Regina nearly touched herself, too, but eventually thought better of it. Another *ping* snapped Regina out of her fantasy, bringing the bright screen of her phone close to read the text:

**sorry about that ……. dont really knw what to say**

**You could thank me?**

Regina giggled as she sent her text, pressing her hand between her legs for just a moment before turning onto her back and then her other side. Tucking her phone in bed with her, at her side. She smiled to think of Emma’s inevitable scoff at her tease.

**oh? and how would you like me to thank you?**

**With your hands.**

**you kow ill forgive you if you try touching and i appear there by accident right?**

Regina bit her lip.

**I’m not ready … as much as I’d like to. And trust me I’d like to have the freedom to sate myself.**

**just let me know if you need anything and ill be there.**

**Hopefully not literally …**

Then she could practically hear Emma’s laughter over text. **hopefully for WHO?? you tease**

**I don’t mean to tease you, you know.**

**and i dont mean to make you feel guilty for it. its just another thing you do that gets me off.**

**Are there a lot of these things?**

**too many to count**

Regina sighed with contentment, slipping off to sleep at the comforting thought of Emma whispering her responses over Regina’s shoulder.

**Goodnight, Emma.**

Falling asleep with comforting thoughts surrounding her, Regina drifted off before she could read Emma’s last text. Early the next morning, she read it and smiled from ear-to-ear.

**goodnight beautiful.**

 


	21. Parenthood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina struggles in her role as single parent and is pleasantly surprised by some help from Miss Swan.

 

Regina was sitting in her office at home, sighing down at her paperwork. Since her date with Emma Swan, she hadn’t been able to focus properly. All she could think when she closed her eyes was how it felt to have Emma pressed against her. She was embarrassingly as lustful as an adolescent, and as much as she tried to deny it to herself, she _needed_ Emma. She kept re-playing their kisses over and over again in her mind, squirming in her seat when her need became uncomfortable, and trying to deny that she was in no state to work.

She had a visit from Kathryn who wondered if Regina had a new beau from the glow in her cheeks, but Regina resisted to answer. She simply said “it’s too early for details” and left it at that.

When Henry stopped in after school to say hello, Regina gave him a wide smile and promised him dinner within the hour.

“And then I can go to Max’s place?” Henry asked hopefully, earning a happy nod from his mother as he turned to go.

“Homework?” Regina asked just as he was leaving, and he winced – caught.

“Just … a little.”

“Homework first. Then visiting your friend.”

“ _Mom_.”

“Yes, Son?” she mocked, arching a brow when he tried to pout his way out of his responsibilities. “No, that won’t work. Now head upstairs and start working. If you get stuck, I’ll help you, but no going to Max’s house if it’s not finished.”

Henry grumbled his way upstairs as Regina set back to her paperwork for another half hour, receiving a phone call just as she was heading for the kitchen to make supper.

“Mayor Mills,” she answered professionally, as the line was mostly for employees of the city to call with concerns.

“Ooh,” purred an all-too-familiar voice. “Mayor Mills, huh?”

“Miss Swan, what on earth are you doing calling this line?” Regina smirked, paused just by the doorway before she took the cordless phone with her and started her way to the fridge in the kitchen.

“You weren’t answering your cell phone.”

“I was _working_ \- much like you should be at the moment, if I’m not mistaken.”

Emma found that quite funny, laughing on the other end. “Yeah yeah, it’s dead over here. I just … wanted to talk to you for a minute. Is that okay?”

“I suppose I don’t have much choice in the matter, do I?” Regina teased, pulling out the milk and eggs and going to see to the dry ingredients for her casserole recipe.

“I just thought … you might wanna know how I did it …”

Regina huffed a bit as she pulled the flour off the shelf with both hands – wedging the phone between her ear and her shoulder.

“What are you going on about now?”

Emma cleared her throat: “You know … how I … finally learned how to touch myself without transporting.”

Regina had just been pulling out the salt when she realized what Emma meant, and the small box went tumbling down. With it tumbled the phone as Regina was stunned by her own clumsiness, cursing accidentally.

“Are you okay?” Emma asked seriously, hearing some strange sounds and then a few choice expletives before there was a familiar voice on the other end again.

“I dropped something, thank you very much for surprising me with your crass comment.”

“Does that mean you wanna know?” Emma teased, craving to see the mess she’d made of Regina with her own eyes. “I could … come over …?”

“No!” Regina gasped, looking down to the mess on the kitchen floor and sighing. “Sorry, I … I mean, it’s really not the best time. Henry has to finish his homework before dinner, after which he goes over to Max’s house, and I don’t want him distracted by any silliness.”

Suddenly Emma’s interest was piqued: “He’s … going over to a friend’s house? For the evening?”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Emma grinned: “See you later.” And then she hung up.

Aghast, Regina stared at the phone until she remembered about her task of cleaning up all the spilt salt and cooking dinner. It was a simple casserole in which the cheese melting was of top priority, and so she finished with dinner just early enough to hear Henry jogging down the stairs with his surprisingly finished homework.

“See? Done!”

Regina smiled with pride at her son: “And that’s all of it?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “And there’s a project in a week, but it’s a group project. So? Can I go?”

“You have to eat dinner first.”

Henry groaned: “But _Mom_. Come on – he invited me over for four o’clock and I’m already so late, and he’s like the one friend that’s been really understanding lately.”

Regina put her head down, exhausted. She imagined that if Emma were there, she would have stepped in with a curt “listen to your mother” that might ease the burden from Regina. As it was, Regina dealt with such moments on her own. She had made a healthy meal for him, and he wasn’t even willing to sit and eat with her. He was certainly growing up too fast, and she was too tired to fight him on it.

“Fine,” she sighed, “But do _not_ be late Henry, or next time the answer will be no.”

“Got it, Mom!” he sang out, already headed for the foyer. “Back by nine!”

Regina sighed at the sudden emptiness of the house, her shoulders sagging when she looked back to the kitchen at the fresh casserole that wouldn’t be touched. She never enjoyed eating a large meal by herself. On the days Henry didn’t eat with her, Regina tended to bury herself in paperwork and sustain herself with snacks late at night.

Twenty minutes after Henry left, Regina had given up her attempt to get work down, and was in the kitchen about to put away the casserole when there was a knock at the door. She couldn’t help but smile because she knew it was Emma – who else would knock in that ridiculous rhythm when there was a perfectly sound doorbell?

Pulling open the door, Regina tried her best at cheerfulness. “Emma. Come on in.”

But immediately Emma sensed something was wrong. She didn’t mention it as quickly, but she noticed Regina’s inner sadness. “Hey, what’s up? I got a text from Henry gloating that he beat his friend’s high score so I guessed he was already with Max. That was fast.”

Regina sighed and turned her shoulders toward the kitchen. “Yeah … he already left. Did you mean to speak with him?”

“No, no,” Emma said with a simple smile, trying to discern for herself what was dampening Regina’s spirits. She looked truly upset. “I’m just here to talk to you, actually. Is … everything okay?”

“I’m fine,” Regina lied, gesturing over to the kitchen. “If you don’t mind, I was just-”

“Yeah, of course!” Emma insisted, following after Regina to the kitchen. They both made their way to the island counter where Regina paused and took out a Tupperware lid to the casserole dish. Emma instantly noticed the hot dish was untouched, and she scrunched her brows in question.

“I thought Henry was having dinner here …?”

Regina closed the lid over the dish with a click, wielding it over toward the fridge: “… So did I …”

“Whoa, what happened?” Emma said softly, taking the hot dish from Regina to set it back on the granite counter. “Please. Tell me. I wanna know.”

Regina willed herself not to become emotional: “Sometimes … I just can’t ... I don’t know. It’s silly.”

“It doesn’t sound silly to me,” Emma encouraged, slipping her hand down Regina’s arm for support. Her heart sank when she realized how emotional Regina was, and how reluctant to share her feelings. “You can’t … speak with him? Is that what this is about?”

“No,” Regina answered with fatigue dropping her shoulders in defeat: “As a single parent … having him run off or unwilling to stay and humor me after cooking a meal for him … I suppose I just spent so much time alone … that sometimes when he runs off, it feels like he’s running away from me …”

Emma pulled Regina into a hug, wrapping both arms around her and moving back to the casserole. “Hey, could _we_ eat it? Would you like to eat it with me?”

Regina chuckled from the comfort of Emma’s arms: “You don’t have to pity me, Swan.”

“Who said anything about pity? I’m hungry.”

It was an enjoyable meal they both had together in surprisingly comfortable silence between slips of conversation. Regina spoke about the meetings she’d had that day at Emma’s enquiry and Emma laughed about a cat stuck up a tree she’d tried and failed to get down earlier that afternoon. It was all rather pleasant and light chat until they were winding down and Emma blurted something Regina had been afraid to think about.

“So … I just wanted to tell you something. About you-know-what.”

Regina immediately stiffened, locking eyes with Emma.

“I … I want to tell you what I had to do to … make it work. If you wanna hear it.”

Setting down her utensils and pressing her lips together, Regina finally relented: “Fine, if you’re so determined to share it …”

Emma caught her grin, and smiled back: “Yes. I uh … I had to imagine things-” she cleared her throat nervously “-wherever _you_ were. Not where I was.”

Regina’s eyebrow lifted.

“Yeah, you know … so I thought about you kissing me but in your bed-uh … I … I mean …”

“Excuse me?” Regina chuckled, hardly believing her ears. Was Emma admitting what Regina thought she was? Did Emma think about her on a regular basis? In her bed? Had Emma even seen her bedroom before the embarrassing spell incident?

“Okay, that was embarrassing … but I mean like … you fantasize in the location of … well, me.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Uh … I kinda am.”

“How in the hell am I supposed to know where you are?” Regina asked, mortified she was even condoning to have such a humiliating conversation “… Wait, how in the hell did _you_ know where I was all those times?!”

“You know how I sometimes called to make sure Henry _and you_ were home safe for the night …?”

Regina’s eyes went wide.

“… Yeah. I mean, I was checking in, too …” Was Emma blushing? Regina found herself grinning at the discovery. “Okay, no looking at me like that. I’m just trying to help!”

Regina laughed: “Am I supposed to be completely unaffected? … How did you expect me to react?”

Then Emma laughed too: “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t really think it through.”

“You do realize we’ve made ourselves quite vulnerable to one another now, right?”

Emma just shrugged, obviously smitten. “Yeah … I guess that never worried me. Does it … worry you?”

Regina thought for a moment and then found herself smiling in response. “No, oddly.”

They enjoyed in some more light conversation before Emma offered to clean things up despite her usual messy habits because she could see Regina needed it. She even saw to it that Regina started in on a glass of wine before she left, thinking better than to offer the mayor’s tense shoulders a massage – perhaps another time when the tension wasn’t quite so thick.

The next day, Emma picked Henry up after school and took him on a detour to have a talk with him.

Regina was pleasantly surprised that evening to see that not only did Henry eat with her but he helped with the dishes and apologized sincerely for the other night. Regina was still wondering what had come over him when she received a text from none other than Miss Swan later that evening.

**did he mind his manners and apologize today?**

Regina could hardly believe it - _Emma_ had spoken with her son on her behalf. Could it be that Emma was the parenting support Regina never had?

She smiled and typed back: **Yes – I take it that was your doing?**

**i had a talk with him. how are you feeling today?**

Regina’s cheeks went pink at Emma’s thoughtful consideration, and the romantic side of her that shone amidst Regina’s need for her: **Much better, thank you. I really appreciate your help with Henry. I just want you to know that I really do appreciate it.**

**any time.**

Maybe, Regina thought, her days of single parenthood had passed.

 


	22. Bedroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina tries Emma's advice.

 

Regina was lying in bed with a book when she thought back to the advice Emma had given her three days ago: imagine your fantasy in the location of that person. Regina rolled her eyes at her own line of thought, thinking herself foolish for even considering the attempt. She read on in her book until she realized just how distracted she was. And how hot her cheeks had become.

Slipping her phone from her night side table, Regina stared at the screen, but then placed it back. She picked it up and placed it down three more times before finally typing out a question with frustration.

**Where are you?**

She heard her phone buzzing with a message not even one minute later, nervous for the response.

**at home. is everything okay?**

Regina dropped her face in her hands, wondering what on earth she was thinking. She was stronger than all that. She had been queen of an entire kingdom, for goodness sakes, but the frustration of her reluctant abstinence was eating her alive. She figured that Emma probably already understood anyway, so she answered honestly.

**It’s fine. I was just wondering.**

When there was no response, Regina blushed a deep shade of red. Emma knew why she had texted, and was leaving her to it so as not to further humiliate her or scare her off from it. On many occasions, Emma had made it more than clear that she wished for Regina to have release. Emma would not have jeopardized the situation by texting through it, but Regina was nervous all the same.

She closed her eyes and pulled the comforters up around her, settling into the warmth and comfort of her bed as she pictured Emma’s apartment. She imagined Emma on her couch watching TV, and then smirked, imagining how she might distract the valiant saviour from her ridiculous programming. Regina let her hands start at her chest, easing down the straps of her top just enough to tease herself – massaging her breasts through the silk slip. She bit her lip and smoothed her hands down her abdomen until they rushed between her legs, pressing so appetizingly against the throbbing that had begun. Regina dropped her head back into her pillow, imagining herself straddling Emma’s lap – kissing and teasing her. It was always so satisfying to tease her …

“Mmm …” Regina moaned quietly to herself, one hand on her breasts and one under the covers between her legs. She was just picturing Emma’s hand sliding up her thigh when she heard an entrance complete with a magical purple cloud of smoke that completely took Regina by surprise. When she gasped and looked up, Emma was gathering her bearings – turning away respectfully when she realized what had happened.

“Sorry,” Emma mumbled, closing her eyes to try and forget what incredible sight she’d just seen. Regina had been touching herself just ten feet away from her. Regina Mills was pleasing herself and Emma went completely breathless for the next few seconds. “You ha-have to … imagine me where I was. I … forgot to be more specific – I’m so sorry …”

“I did!” Regina said with panic, pulling the covers up to cover herself completely. “I did – you were at your apartment.”

“But I was in my room.”

“Oh for God’s sakes!” Regina growled, and Emma smiled to herself. “How did you always know what room I was in?! Am I that predictable?!”

“I … I do it at night most times. Late, late at night … when you’re in bed.”

When the room was silent, Emma asked if she could turn around. When Regina agreed, she did so slowly, her eyes still trained on the carpet at her feet.

“You can look up, Miss Swan.”

The sight Emma took in on the bed was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. There sat Regina with no makeup and messy hair – one strap of her slip fallen off her shoulder with the comforters crushed to her chest in an attempt at modesty. The sight had Emma’s heart thumping in her chest.

“You … y-you are …”

“A mess,” Regina sighed, gesturing to the door. “Do you want to walk home or would you like me to send you the same way you came? I know it can be somewhat draining …”

“Regina.”

They looked at each other seriously.

“Regina … you’re so beautiful. I … I’m sorry that I can’t … I’m sorry we’re not at that place yet. But know that I am _dying_ to help you out with this …”

Regina smiled: “I’ll bet you are.”

“I really am. I just wanna … I wanna show you what a difference a horizontal hug can make …”

Regina openly laughed: “Is that supposed to sound romantic? Because it just sounds lewd, quite honestly, Miss Swan. A _horizontal hug_ …? Where did you learn that one?”

“I could show you ...” Emma teased, taking just a slight step toward Regina’s bed to hear a humorous threat that kept her pinned in place.

“Freeze or so help me. I am … not properly dressed, Miss Swan.”

“Keep using that seductive voice of yours and maybe I _will_ help you.”

“Out,” Regina said with as serious a face as she could manage despite Emma's teasing.

“Alright, alright, I’m going …” Emma chuckled. “But I’m really sorry. Please don’t let this dissuade you, okay? I’m going. I’ll be in my bedroom – just in case!”

Just like that, Emma disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke. She appeared back in her own apartment, kicking herself for having been so blind. All she wanted was to see Regina happy, and she had pushed her forward only to see Regina taking two steps back. She groaned, sighed, and then pouted all to herself, wondering what she was going to do for the aggravated town mayor.

Back in her bed, the situation of such frustration had Regina groaning and dropping back against her pillow, looking up with irritation to her ceiling. She thought of how Emma had been so persistent to figure out the answers for herself, and Regina sighed that she felt too frustrated to do so. Maybe some people with magic just weren’t meant to find satisfaction.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was short - forgive me! I'll be posting the next one tomorrow morning, though, so you won't have to wait long for the next one! Regina should never be sad for long in my opinion.


	23. Massage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma needs to ease a little of the mayor's tension.

 

Emma felt incredibly guilty with her oversight when Regina had tried pleasing herself. And from the sight Regina made the next morning at Granny’s, Emma deduced that they mayor hadn’t kept trying to find pleasure the other night. Regina Mills was as frustrated as ever.

“Yes, preferably hot,” Regina snapped at Granny, gesturing outside the diner. “Why on earth would I want a coffee _iced_ in this weather? It’s snowing for God’s sakes!”

Emma had been sitting in wait of an order to-go when she overheard the conversation, biting her lip at her stupidity the night before, but noting to herself that Regina didn’t have the right to speak that way no matter the circumstances. At times, Regina reverted back to her harsh qualities before the curse had broken, but Emma sighed for the woman Regina had become. Regina was better than that. And it had been two months since Regina had even found satisfaction with her own touch despite the desire to do so – Emma couldn’t even imagine the frustration.

Summoning all the strength she could, Emma willed herself to walk over to the counter where Regina stood tapping her foot. Emma slipped a five-dollar bill onto the counter-top and smiled at Granny: “It’s on me, Gran. And why don’t you add some extra sugar in there for her majesty.”

Regina rolled her eyes: “Oh Lord.”

“Let me get this one.”

Regina all but glared at her: “Fine. Pay for my coffee. What do I care?” It hurt Regina to speak to Emma that way, but something inside her had reverted to her past rudeness, and she couldn’t seem to shake it. She couldn’t exactly meet Emma’s eyes, either.

Emma gritted back her comments until she’d grabbed her food, told Granny to keep the change, and followed the mayor out of the diner. Once she hurried to Regina’s side, the saviour finally spoke again: “I know you’re upset, Regina, but Granny’s just doing her job.”

“And I’m just doing mine,” Regina insisted, hurrying even quicker toward her car. “I have a meeting in ten minutes, and if she wasn’t wasting my time with her superfluous questions, I might not be so worried about tardiness.”

Emma kept in step with Regina, watching the brunette struggle with her car door – watching her kick it and then try to re-group when the frustration was too much.

“You’re upset,” Emma said as calmly as she could. “I get that-”

“You can’t possibly understand,” Regina snapped, handing her coffee to Emma to use both hands to properly open the driver side door. Without a word, she took her coffee back and sat calmly inside, resting the beverage in the cup holder. “Good day.”

But when Regina went to close the door, it stuck. She looked up to see Emma was holding her car door open, swallowing hard at the feeling she had whenever Emma exerted her superior strength. Regina tried not to let it affect her, lowering her eyes to the steering wheel.

“Hey, I was gonna come over and cook for you tonight, but if you’d rather this time to yourself to remember your manners …”

“Your ridiculous threats mean nothing to me.”

“Liar,” Emma deduced easily, keeping the taunting smile from her lips that would enrage Regina all the more. “But hey, if you’d rather spend the night alone, that’s fine.”

Regina puffed out her cheeks and blew all the air out with an aggravated force of breath, wanting to cry at the thought of being on her own all evening. She wanted the closeness of Emma, but she kept pushing her away. It was an inner battle that her shutting her eyes to take in a calming breath: “Alright. I’m sorry. I don’t like that we’re doing this now, but … I’m sorry. Alright? There. I’ve said it twice.”

“Thank you.”

“Now will you let go of my car door, you barbarian?”

Emma smirked, still gripping it: “Now I deserve _another_ apology.”

“For Christ’s sake!” Regina growled, throwing her hands up, grabbing for her car door only to growl again when Emma wouldn’t let up. “Will you just _let me go_?!”

“Quit snapping at everyone and I’ll leave you to your misery.”

The quip had Regina re-thinking her tactics, pulling herself out of the car again to stand next to Emma – kissing her in the completely public setting with hands on either side of her face. Grabbing Emma and kissing her soundly on the lips.

When Regina pulled back, she took a step with Emma, landing the sheriff in the middle of the street with a hand in the middle of Emma’s chest to guide her.

“Stay,” Regina teased, walking briskly back to her car and shutting it behind her. Locking the doors and smirking as she sped off.

The tease was not forgotten when Emma arrived at Regina’s house later that day just after lunch. Henry was at school, Emma was on her lunch break, and Regina was likely trying to work through whatever break she was allotted.

Emma took a deep grinning breath and knocked. She was going to get Regina back for her earlier – more public – tease. If anyone was weak to the other’s touch, it was Regina. Emma nearly moaned at that thought, imagining what she could do melt the irritated woman next.

“It’s noon,” Regina said as she opened the door, somewhat calmer than earlier but still tense in her stance and her tone of voice. “Is something the matter?”

While Regina was glancing down at the watch on her thin wrist, Emma chuckled and simply walked past the mayor into the foyer. Emma was already peeling off her jacket by the time Regina twisted around to shoot her a look of accusation.

“Miss Swan. Just what do you think you’re doing?”

Emma walked back to the door after casting her coat on the rack, closing the door and locking it. She stepped over to Regina and took the cordless phone from her hand, setting it down on the entrance table. The shimmer of hope sparkled in Regina’s eyes as Emma had invaded her space and taken it upon herself to envelope her with closeness. Was Emma about to surprise her? She breathlessly wondered if she should take offense to the way Emma stood before her. Turning her shoulders and wordlessly guiding her to the living room. Emma’s hands on her – as innocently as they sat – were like fire racing under her skin.

“Miss Swan-” Regina tried, interrupted once they’d reached the smaller couch.

“Sit.”

Regina couldn’t help but smirk as she turned toward Emma. She had deserved that. “I don’t think-”

“I _said_ ,” Emma commanded patiently in such a low tone of voice, Regina went quiet. “Sit down.”

Regina found herself sitting, mouth closed to any replies that were tempted to slip out. She surprised herself by simply folding her hands in her lap as Emma climbed up onto the back of the couch to sit on the ledge, resting her hands on Regina’s shoulders from her new, taller vantage point.

“Give me a chance to relax you,” Emma said hotly into her ear, prompting Regina to close her eyes. “Just give me five minutes …”

Was Regina nodding? She couldn’t even seem to control herself. With Emma so close, control seemed to have little to do with her actions.

Expert hands set to work on Regina’s shoulders – starting with thumbs grazing gently up Regina’s neck which caused the mayor’s proper posture to give. Regina’s shoulders slouched forward at the sensation of warm, agile fingers working her muscles. Regina felt her skin grow hot and cold at once, both of Emma’s hands placing pressure up the column of her neck and back down. Even if Regina had been trying to fool herself, she couldn’t have ignored how desperately she needed Emma’s hands to ease her.

“That’s it … relax,” Emma smiled, sitting with her knees beside each of Regina’s shoulders. She thought she would much rather Regina lying on her stomach, but she thought that piece of intimacy might have to wait as she would then need to straddle Regina on her bed. Or … couch? She definitely wasn’t imagining Regina naked underneath her.

Then Regina moaned. “Yes …”

Emma paused for a brief moment before pressing her fingers a little deeper and earning a deeper moan from the beautiful woman melting before her. “It’s been five minutes …” Emma whispered after checking the time on Regina’s watch. “Do you … mind if I continue?”

Emma couldn’t hold back her grin of success when Regina leaned back against Emma’s open legs and leaned her head back on a denim-clad thigh. “No … don’t stop …”

That was all Emma needed, opting to slip her hands over Regina’s shoulders at the change in position. The silk blouse that was buttoned just high enough gave under the direction of Emma’s fingers, pulled over one shoulder and then the other in turn. Emma focused her attention where Regina was most tense, pressing and rubbing until some of the tension had evaporated.

When Regina brought her hands to her sides and then awkwardly to her lap and back, Emma knew what was happening. Regina wanted to take off her shirt. She wanted Emma to massage her without the barrier, but Regina couldn’t seem to excuse the need. So the shirt remained, and Emma’s hands slowly pulled back from the delicious expanse of skin that was warm from her touch.

“There … much better,” Emma smirked, slipping down along the back of the couch until she sat with Regina’s back to her chest. Regina between her legs, leaning back against her. Emma inhaled into Regina’s hair, trying to keep her hands from slipping around the beautiful woman melting against her. “Are you … feeling better?”

“Why did you stop?” Regina groaned, weakening Emma’s resolve.

“I … didn’t think I should ask you to take off your clothes, so …”

Regina groaned again, forcing herself upright at the reminder. “Yes … that’s probably best.”

_Probably?_

When Regina stood, Emma immediately regretted not prompting the absence of clothes. Regina was so beautiful, standing before her a more relaxed and patient soul. There was a small smile on Regina’s lips that lifted to deep, brown eyes.

“Thank you, Miss Swan,” Regina started. “That will be … all, thank you.”

Emma couldn’t help but find humor in the way Regina spoke: “Oh, is that all I’m good for, then?” She stood and closed the distance between them, challenging Regina with her hands resting softly on the mayor’s hips. “You liked the massage that much, hmm?”

“You could do that for a living,” Regina admitted, blushing when Emma raised a brow at the confession. “Not that I … would enjoy you using that tactic on everyone in town …”

Emma laughed: “It’s not a tactic, Regina. I have been dying to relax some of the tension in you.”

“ _Some_ of it?” Regina chuckled back, much more her typical self. “I think I’m … quite myself, thank you.”

“There’s one tension that’s unresolved,” Emma reminded, lifting Regina’s chin with a slender finger tucked under the round chin. Tilting Regina’s gaze up to hers.

They stared for a long moment until Regina brought her hands up to play with the straps of Emma’s tank top. “You know, Miss Swan … I feel that with those hands … I’m at a large disadvantage in evening the score …”

“If you keep touching me like that,” Emma simmered: “I would melt, too.”

“I’m not half the masseuse you are, Miss Swan.”

“It wouldn’t matter. If it’s you, Regina …” Emma started, breathy and hot. “If you touched me … I would enjoy it.”

“Enjoy it?” Regina smirked: “Is that all …?”

“Damnit, woman.”

Regina chuckled and took her hands back to smooth down the sides of her skirt. “Let’s just say … I’m very thankful for the massage, Miss Swan. And I … won’t forget the gesture.”

“Any time,” Emma answered a little too enthusiastically.

“I’ll remember that. It has … made me less afraid of opening myself to you … _physically,_ I must admit.”

Emma thought she would faint.

“You know … when the time is right.”

Desperately, Emma blurted without thought: “Do you want another massage?”

“Mmm,” Regina laughed, deep and sultry. “I certainly love your desperation, Miss Swan. It’s … it’s very intriguing … I find myself growing curious when I see you leaping to give me some relief to this need I have …”

“Regina …”

The tongue that darted out from Regina’s lips entranced Emma. She watched it slip over Regina’s top lip and then the bottom before disappearing again.

When Emma snapped out of her trance, she brought a hand to her hair, trying to recover from the obvious staring. “Uh … yeah, well … uh …”

“Good start,” Regina teased, pointing over her shoulder to the kitchen. “Would you like me to grab you a glass of water? It seems you’ve forgotten how to speak, poor thing.”

Then, as Emma was tracing her eyes quickly over Regina’s shoulders again, she remembered there had been no bra straps. Was Regina wearing a strapless bra? Lingerie underneath her day wear? Suddenly Emma forgot to breathe.

“Close your mouth, Miss Swan,” she teased again, crossing her arms with great satisfaction at the mess she’d made of the saviour. “It’s quite unbecoming to be seen staring so openly a woman’s chest. Or do you find such things overwhelmingly romantic?”

All Emma could tease back was a quiet: “I’ll get you for this …”

“For teasing you?” Regina laughed. “I believe you enjoy it, Sheriff.”

“Tonight,” Emma said softly, re-grouping herself as best she could. “Tonight … I’m coming over and I’ll have my revenge for all this teasing.”

“Best not to announce your tactics, Dear. I’m not easy to beat in the best of circumstances.”

Emma’s smirk took over the conversation completely – one last sentence hanging between them: “Challenge accepted, Your Majesty.”

 


	24. Cruel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma has her revenge.

 

Emma was staring at Regina from across the table. She had made dinner for Regina the week after teasing her mercilessly. It was a dinner that had started out perfectly typical as any other Tuesday night making dinner with some help from Henry, laughing and playing until they all ate the meal together at the dining room table. The conversation and mood of the evening was light and inconspicuous, however, until Henry hurried upstairs to call another one of his friends and to finish studying for a test he had the next day. The moment he had scurried away, Emma’s eyes had darkened and Regina shifted nervously in her seat. Emma’s confidence was startlingly appealing to a woman who had always rather easily bested others in that regard.

Regina made a show of setting down her cutlery and appearing unfazed by the simmering glaze that had settled over Emma’s eyes. “Thank you, Miss Swan … for this wonderful dinner.”

When there was no response, Regina looked up to see Emma smirking at her. “Is that all you’d like to say? Because unless you admit I can tease you into a mess just like you’ve done to me … this evening is about to become very heated.”

A warmth settled low in Regina’s stomach, gathering heat between her legs at the way Emma was staring her down. Regina swallowed and clasped her hands in her lap. The challenge was arousing her further – pushing her to fantasize. Causing her to wonder: what would Emma do with her? To her? But finally, Regina had decided. She wanted to challenge the beautiful Emma Swan.

“Yes,” Regina said without any trace of a smirk, much to her credit. “That’s all.”

Emma called Henry down without taking her eyes off the woman sitting across from her at the table. When their son’s voice called back, Emma grinned: “You can go to Ryan’s place to study like you two wanted. Your mother just told me she doesn’t mind if it’s alright with his parents.”

“Thanks!” he called back, running back to his room to call and plan.

Regina shook her head with an accidental grin, straightening her shoulders as she met Emma’s intense gaze: “Hmm … Is that what I said?”

“That’s what _I_ remember.”

When Henry hurried down with his backpack and bike helmet, Emma mumbled to Regina: “Go say goodbye,” as Regina rolled her eyes. Emma knew she would get up anyway – commanding her to do so didn’t have any effect on Regina. Well, none that the mayor would freely admit.

Once at the door to see her son off, Regina patted his back and looked him seriously in the eye.

“If he’s distracting you, you come right back,” Regina insisted to Henry, even as excited as she was to have some alone time with Emma. “I love you.”

“Love you – bye Mom! Bye Emma!” he smiled, hurrying out the door to leave Regina and Emma to themselves.

Regina closed the door and was just locking it when she saw a hand against the door. Was Emma standing behind her? Regina closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pulse that had started violently between her legs. The aggressiveness with which Emma teased her was new and invigorating. It gave her strange tingles and a racing pulse.

“If you think this is going to make me weak-” Regina started with all the gusto she could mange, gasping when Emma’s arm slipped around her waist to pull them flush together. Regina lost her breath. How did simply being close with Emma have such an effect? She felt herself sinking back against the support of Emma’s chest.

“You were saying …?”

She was just gathering her composure when Emma surprised her again, guiding her back toward the dining room table with a rather strong arm still wrapped around her to keep Regina from tripping over her own two feet. They walked together – Regina in Emma’s arms – until they stood before the table. Regina playfully squirmed but Emma kept her locked tight in strong arms.

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing,” Regina tried again with obvious interest laced in her voice, her breath catching in her throat when Emma pinned her between the sheriff’s hips and the head of the table. Regina moaned at the position, feeling Emma’s breath on her neck. “Emma …”

“Tell me …” Emma moaned into Regina’s ear, hands gently moving to Regina’s hips and slowly down her sides only to roam back up. “Is it fair for you to tease me when all I want is to please you?”

“What are you doing?” Regina asked with no semblance of authority whatsoever.

Emma chuckled at her efforts. “Just teasing you until you admit you’re cruel to me on purpose …”

“Emma …”

“Are you ready to confess?” Emma breathed hotly into her ear, feeling Regina shiver in her arms. Slowly, Emma pushed her hips forward until Regina bent at the waist, bracing herself over the table on her hands.

The position confused Regina – pulse racing and legs shaky. All she could think about was Emma interrogating her – succeeding with humiliating accuracy. Regina shut her eyes and thought about the look on Emma’s face when Regina was teasing _her_ and the thought calmed the mayor considerably. She could do it. She could regain some of her self control.

“This … is not having the effect you thought,” Regina openly lied, licking her lips when Emma pulled her back up instead – strong hands grabbing at the collar of Regina’s shirt. Emma pulled her up again, and in a quick, downward tug at the collars from the front, the buttons on Regina’s blouse went flying.

“Emma! …” she gasped, falling back against the woman who moved confident hands over Regina’s skirt – strategically ignoring the naked expanse of skin from the high waist of Regina’s skirt to the cups of her bra. All Regina could do was breathe harder. Faster. Was Emma going to touch her? She needed to be touched … but certainly Emma wouldn’t take her like that … Not so forcefully. Regina shivered in shameful delight. She had never much enjoyed such rough play before, but Emma was surprising her with a desire that had her throbbing with curiosity.

“Admit it,” Emma moaned, tracing lips over Regina’s shoulder to her neck where she finally pulled away. “Admit it and I’ll kiss you …”

Regina whimpered, unwilling to give up and weak all at once. “Mmm …”

Hungrily, Emma guided them instead toward the living room with a strong arm again looping around Regina then-bare waist. She tried not to allow herself too much pleasure at the touch of Regina’s skin, and smirked when she gestured to the larger couch.

“Why don’t you lie down …?” Emma whispered over Regina’s shoulder, softly smoothing her hands along curved hips. She whispered even quieter: “Tell me if you don’t like this, alright …?”

Regina swallowed and nodded – she was surprised by how much she _did_ like it. Then again, she didn’t know much of what she wanted with Emma. It was all so new. She closed her eyes and wondered if she might like Emma to push her down onto the couch. Would it feel good? Would it be strange? Would it be satisfying?

Regina decided to challenge Emma at her own game.

“Not in your wildest dreams,” Regina growled at once, surprising Emma with the challenge in her voice. It took her by surprise, loosening Emma’s hold until Regina squirmed out of it and turned to lick her lips at Emma. “You don’t have the backbone to make me.”

Without another word, Emma gave Regina a shove, landing gladly on top of her on the couch. Grinning down at the adorable look of surprise on Regina’s face. It was a look that spoke of the brunette’s serious interest in such roughhousing. “You were saying …?”

Regina reached up and kissed her in turn, groaning when Emma reluctantly pulled away from it.

“Ah ah ah … I think you have something to admit first …”

The lust in Regina’s eyes weakened Emma’s resolve, but something in the saviour pushed just a little farther. She could sense they were very close to something even more enjoyable.

“Tell me … tell me you’ve been cruel,” Emma whispered, resting one of her hands over Regina’s appetizing bra only to pull it away again. She so wanted to touch …

“Never,” Regina challenged breathlessly, her expression of power shifting immediately when she felt Emma’s hand at her leg, very slowly bunching her skirt up her thighs.

Emma wasn’t going to touch Regina without speaking about it first, but the look on Regina’s face told her that the mayor was ready to have that talk. It had Emma changing tactics.

“Regina … I wanna touch you. Not … not now. I don’t mean now … I …”

“You want to have sex with me?” Regina asked hotly, and yet somehow innocently at the same time. Emma melted down on top of her, hips pressed together.

Emma licked her lips. “Oh God … is that a trick question?”

Regina mischievously took one of Emma’s wrists in her hand, and trailed the strong fingers down the indecent amount of cleavage pouring out of her bra. She watched Emma lying on top of her, grinning when Emma’s expression changed from weakness and desire to a burning, insatiable lust. Regina thought with a hitch in her breath that if she gave Emma the word, she could be pleased all night long.

“You know, Sheriff …” Regina whispered, bringing one of her knees up to Emma’s hip – skirt bunching in its wake. “If you perhaps brought me to bed and tried a more tender approach … you might find that gets you further …”

All teasing and silliness had gone from Emma’s eyes. She was a woman madly in love and she wanted to please that infuriatingly perfect woman until she couldn’t feel her arms anymore. “Regina … do you want this? … Tell me …”

Regina moaned at the thought of having Emma in her bed to do with as she pleased – warming to the more tender approach – bringing her hands up to strong shoulders. Her legs parted slowly, thighs pressing against Emma’s sides as she opened herself up to the feeling of warmth that was surging through her.

“Yes … Touch me gently, Emma …?”

The sheriff leaned down and kissed her with open, endless kisses that were so desperate Emma found herself growing impossibly wet. Regina’s kisses in return were painfully arousing. And that tongue … was that Regina’s tongue?! “Mmm! …”

Regina pulled Emma down against her with her legs, tugging gently at Emma’s tank top to wordlessly request kisses down her neck. Emma’s tongue traced down from Regina’s ear – teeth nipping at the sensitive flesh until Regina trembled.

“If only …” Emma panted, “… I could keep … kissing you …”

Emma didn’t even mean to keep teasing Regina. She couldn’t have pulled back when Regina wanted her so badly, but she so enjoyed the way Regina unfolded to her teasing that she kept it going for the pleasure it seemed to give them both. Regina liked being difficult, and Emma liked convincing her she could be easy.

Regina whined desperately, pulling Emma as close as she could while Emma’s lips drew back. Without the willpower to fight it any longer, Regina panted to her would-be lover: “I give! … I … I’ve been cruel …”

Emma moaned and replaced her mouth on Regina’s neck. Moving hands down to Regina’s legs, and up her thighs.

“Kiss me …?” Regina pleaded in a way so deprived that all Emma could do was see to her pleasure.

They were kissing deeply on the couch with Emma grinding down on top of Regina when there was a sound at the door. Regina panicked and pushed Emma off her before Emma could gather her bearings, and the sheriff went tumbling to the floor as Regina straightened her skirt back down and grabbed one of the small blankets to hide her ruined shirt.

Emma was still breathless from the incredibly sudden turn of events while she watched Regina simply skip over her to head toward the door where Henry was letting himself in.

“Hey, Mom,” he said, dejected.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with worry, holding her panted breaths in to try and breathe through her nose. Anything to avoid suspicion.

Henry sighed: “Ryan’s going over to Ben’s place instead. He’s just … not a really good friend I guess. I think – I think I’ll just go upstairs.”

Regina’s heart sank at her son’s sadness, forgetting her own feelings. “Henry, why don’t you put your things upstairs and come down for some hot chocolate. I can talk with you about-”

“No, thanks,” he said, dejected.

Emma appeared from seemingly nowhere, red in the face: “Hey, your mom just wants to help you, Kid. I think it might be good to talk about this little jerk.”

Henry let out a single breath of laughter.

Emma smiled at his reaction, continuing: “Maybe I could lock him up? Shoot at him with some blanks?”

Regina cast a glare over at Emma’s inappropriate teasing, and the whole exchange had Henry smiling as he slowly made his way up the stairs. “Fine … I’ll try. I just thought he was my friend.”

“We’ll sort it out,” Regina called up, leaning against the door when he’d gone. She glanced back at Emma with a smoldering fire threatening to re-ignite behind her eyes.

“Sorry about uh … the shirt,” Emma chuckled quietly, snorting when Regina fiercely shushed her. “What? I didn’t mean to … be that … I don’t know, you bring it out in me …”

“Will you keep it to yourself?” Regina hissed, taking a deep breath in as she glanced up at the stairs and then back to Emma. “I’m … I’m sorry. It …” Then she smiled. “It _was_ … nice.”

“Nice?” Emma asked, laughter in wait at the reaction. “Is _that_ what it was? _Nice_?”

When they heard Henry shuffling around upstairs, Emma nodded to the door. “I think I should head out of here, and give you some time with him. I think he really needs some one-on-one time with you, and … frankly I think you could use a little less distraction from me at this particular moment ...”

Regina wished she could have her hands free to shove Emma for that little tease, but instead kept the blanket pinned around her shoulders.

“And uh … here,” Emma smiled, flicking her wrist to show Regina dressed in an undisturbed new purple silk blouse.

Regina looked down and then back up at Emma.

“If it were up to me, I might put you in something else …” Emma chuckled: “But I think it’s best not to arise suspicion for tonight.”

Regina rolled her eyes as Emma leaned in, kissed her cheek, and went to the door.

“Hey, let me know how everything goes, alright? I’m not above arresting horribly, snotty little teenage boys who hurt Henry.”

Regina laughed, seeing Emma out with the blanket discarded. She watched Emma leave with a sudden pang she realized as a craving to have Emma stay. No longer did Regina only want Emma closer – she wanted her to _stay_. What did _that_ mean? She leaned against the door in wonder, watching Emma walk off somewhat stiffly down to her car. Regina stared after Emma with pride that it was thoughts of her Emma would be entertaining late that night.

“Cruel indeed,” Regina muttered to herself, thinking to an idea that was already forming for _her_ revenge for the need Emma had awakened in her. It was a deep longing that wouldn't relent, and Regina smirked when she realized the feeling for what it was: she wanted to be physically intimate with Emma. It was a desire, a craving, a need. Regina was ready.

Emma Swan wouldn’t see it coming.

 


	25. Pleasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina makes her intent very clear.

 

Regina was forced to suffer through her desperation until two days after Emma had teased her to a fault. She thought in free moments about what sex would be like with Emma, and how inexperienced she felt when it came to women. Would it be all that different?

She was forced to swallow down her need and go on about her days until the night when she was all alone at home in her dimly-lit bedroom with the plan set into motion. Regina had put on a set of lingerie she wore when she liked to feel naughty wearing something so scandalous under her clothes – a one-piece evergreen bustier with garter belt clips which she enthusiastically fastened to stockings she knew Emma liked. Every time she wore them – the seam running up the backs of her legs – Emma had stared. Regina felt tingles shoot through her from her head to her toes at the very thought of what she was about to do: seduce Emma. The idea thrilled her to no end.

For the final touch, Regina slipped lace panties over her stockings and garter and then pulled a peach negligee over her head to somewhat obscure her more daring style choice.

Shaking her hair down and raking her hands through it, Regina flipped it up again and smiled at the image she made in her mirror. She was what Emma would call _a hot mess_. Regina grinned at the memory of one of Emma’s texts that had noted her weakness for such a thing. Regina chuckled to herself, walking over to her bed. _Who even comes up with these moronic phrases?_

Regina took a deep breath in and let it out slowly at what she was about to do. She had been teasing Emma about touching and kissing with such intent over text, but was she ready? Regina laid back in her bed, closed her eyes, and moaned at the very thought of Emma undressing her. Touching her. Regina was more than ready.

The only question was how Emma would react, but Regina didn’t spend time worrying. She leaned back, slipped under her covers, and moved her hands tentatively over her body.

Back in her own apartment, Emma was making her way through a graphic novel when she felt something strange yet familiar. She gasped as she was engulfed in purple smoke, standing on unsteady legs with her graphic novel still in-hand as she realized where she was. She was in Regina’s bedroom again. She flushed pink at seeing the beautiful mayor undercovers, having obviously been touching herself. With wide eyes, Emma whipped around and put her free hand over her eyes as a sort of double-blindness.

Emma swallowed hard, feeling awful for the poor mayor who could not seem to get any satisfaction whatsoever: “Oh God … Uh …”

Regina smirked but froze as Emma fought to speak properly.

“I’m so sorry Regina … Do you … want me to magic my way out of here or …?”

“No,” Regina said with what confidence she could muster. “I want you to turn around.”

_What did that mean?_ Emma suddenly felt she couldn’t breathe – torn between obeying Regina’s request and keeping control of her own desires. “Wh- … What ..?”

“Turn around, Miss Swan.”

Regina moaned with pleasure at teasing the heroic blonde pinned to the floor. She moved her hands down her thighs, and slowly back up to feel how wet she had become just thinking about Emma. _That infuriating idiot._ Regina grinned at her own thoughts, massaging herself between her legs. She closed her eyes and exhaled at the pure pleasure of it. She no longer had to worry about touching herself. She could _touch_ herself.

Emma couldn’t ignore the sight after she realized Regina wouldn’t have said something like that accidentally. She meant it. Regina wanted her to watch.

When Emma turned around with caution to find Regina lost in the pleasure of her own touch, Emma dropped the racy graphic novel from her hands, forgetting it on the floor. Regina’s head was tilted back, one arm was stretched out at her side, and the other had disappeared under the covers. She was pleasing herself.

“Is this … a dream …?”

Regina’s throaty laugh was an aphrodisiac, and Emma moaned as she took a tentative step closer.

“I want you to watch me,” Regina whispered, bringing her free hand up to her chest, massaging her own breasts through the thin layers of her lingerie. “I want you to watch me, Emma …”

Emma couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even think – her arms hanging uselessly at her sides as she watched Regina unravel herself.

When Regina was properly excited, she sat up and pulled off the negligee that had covered most of her midsection to reveal the forest green lingerie beneath. She looked over to watch Emma’s reaction, getting off on the way Emma’s mouth had dropped open. Emma was entranced and knowing the woman she wanted so desperately wanted her back had Regina biting her lower lip.

“Admit …” Regina panted, lying back further to slowly travel her hands down her abdomen. “Admit … that you like my being cruel …”

Emma nodded without restraint: “I … like it.”

Regina moaned that Emma was so easy. Something about the ease with which Emma could be commanded sent a flutter between Regina’s legs. “Emma … come closer …”

Emma did as she was asked without hesitation, approaching the right side of Regina’s bed in absolute shock. Was she really seeing Regina squirm with pleasure? Was it all happening with just a layer of blankets to keep Emma from seeing Regina nearly naked? The intent had Emma breathless.

“If this is some spell …?” Emma started, balling her hands into fists at her sides.

Regina moaned and bit her lip at the way Emma was trying so desperately to restrain herself. “No … No spell … Mmm, Miss Swan … you don’t know what you do to me … _Ugh_! And you don’t know how good this feels … _finally_ – my _God_ …”

Emma swallowed hard, eyes raking over every inch of Regina exposed to her. As much as Emma wanted to rip back the covers, she wanted more for Regina to lead the situation. She wanted Regina to be the one to decide how far they went.

“You … are one masterful tease …” Emma whimpered, clearing her throat as Regina brought her own fingers up and licked them. All the while she was staring into Emma’s eyes. “Sweet _Jesus_ … You win, Regina …” Emma was entranced. “Whatever you’re trying to do this for … you win …”

“I don’t just wanna tease you,” Regina slurred lustfully, giving Emma a naughty grin. “I … I want you to please me … to touch me … I want your hands.”

Emma’s eyes lit up, her pulse pounding so loudly it seemed like all she could hear: “… Are you sure?”

“Let me think about it some more,” Regina laughed evilly, spreading her legs a little further under the blankets and closing her eyes to the feel of Emma’s piercing gaze. “Mmm …”

“Wicked woman,” Emma whispered, the weight on the bed shifting as she sat on Regina’s bed. Emma couldn’t help panting at the sight the gorgeous mayor made, squirming for her. “What are you thinking about?”

“I … like that you’re watching me, I must admit,” Regina answered easily, using both hands between her legs in a show that had Emma desperate to see what she was doing under those covers. “Don’t stop …”

_You either._ It was implied in the way Emma groaned as she shifted to stare openly at Regina.

“Do you … wanna touch me?” Regina whimpered weakly, enticing Emma all the more. When she heard an affirmative grunt, Regina smirked and continued: “Tell me where … tell me what you wanna do to me … I’m … a little nervous …”

Emma couldn’t believe Regina’s concept of foreplay. Autoerotic stimulation, lingerie, and dirty talk … all things Emma considered mostly reserved for spicing up one’s sex life. And there was Regina, exclaiming her pleasure for it all before Emma had ever even seen her naked.

Emma licked her lips helplessly: “… Aside from spanking you for doing this to me?”

Regina chuckled at the tease, moving her fingers quicker against herself. Growing wetter. “Yes … aside from punishing me as you see fit, _Sheriff_ …”

Emma throbbed, feeling the reaction between her legs grow from wet to drenched. She sat up a little straighter to try and gain control over her body’s reactions, but found little success. “I … wanna touch you … I wanna be the one pleasing you. I want to touch you down your neck, down your entire body until you’re begging me for it. Then back up again.”

“… You do?” Regina asked in a high-pitched voice denoting innocence that Emma found devilishly enticing.

“Don’t tempt me, Regina.”

The mayor bit her lip at the breathy way the name rolled off Emma’s tongue in her moment of desperation and moaned. As she touched herself, she continued hissing and moaning in pleasure.

“If you want me to sit and just watch you … you can’t put on that little innocent act ...”

Regina tilted her head back and felt a shiver through her at Emma’s words. Emma was frustrated. The tone of Emma’s voice was growing assertive again – commanding even. And Regina felt her body reaction to it with vigor. “Or what …? Tell me what you’ll do …”

“Open your eyes.”

Regina opened her eyes to see Emma lying beside her like she owned her. The look Emma was giving her gave Regina a long tremble through her body. It was a lustful stare Regina had never seen in those eyes before quite like that. There was a promise in those eyes that Emma would be able to sate her.

“Good, now tell me what _you_ want,” Emma ordered with patience, bringing her own fingers to her mouth to wet them.

Then it was Regina’s turn to go completely mute – mouth suddenly dry at the sight of Emma licking and sucking on her fingers. Was Emma preparing to touch her? Was Emma going to tell her what to do? Would Regina enjoy that?

“Tell me or I won’t do it,” Emma said confidently, eyes appraising the cleavage Regina’s lingerie afforded and the way Regina’s arms worked to satisfy herself.

“… Are you gonna touch me …?”

“Do you want me to touch you?” Emma fired back – eyes darkened with lust.

Regina’s breaths came and went with purpose, squirming with need at the look on Emma’s face. It was a look of satisfying determination.

“Yes …” Regina whispered despite her thoughts of ultimately having Emma wrapped around her finger. She was finding suddenly that the sight of her nearly-naked, squirming body did not cause Emma to sulk. It made her brave and authoritative.

That very discovery had Regina approaching a climax that her body so desperately needed. It had been months. Months of wanting and never receiving, and her body wasn’t able to wait much longer before-

“Stop,” Emma said evenly, watching Regina’s eyes snap open to stare curiously at her. “Stop touching yourself.”

Regina felt like she might cry if she had to wait one more minute for release after her weeks upon weeks of frustration, but she suddenly realized what Emma wanted when the saviour slid in closer to her and kicked her way under the sheets. Emma wanted to be the one to pleasure her. Shy to ask yet ecstatic to accept, Regina simply nodded her approval as Emma sidled up beside her and slipped one of her jean-clad thighs between Regina’s legs followed shortly by wet fingers on Regina’s lower stomach that didn’t bother teasing. They slipped between Regina’s legs immediately – Emma letting out a loud and vibrating moan into the dark brown hair splashed over the pillow. “Regina …”

The warm feel of Emma’s body pressed against her and the quick and experienced contact of circling fingers between her legs had Regina’s body immediately at its pique. Her eyes shot open at the way Emma seemed to know how to touch her but managed to surprise her all the same. It wasn’t perfect – it wasn’t the way Regina would have touched herself – but it was so erotic and smooth and wet that Regina clung onto Emma and gasped in quick breaths.

“YES!” Regina growled, arching at Emma’s pressured touch. Those fingers she had fantasized about … The intent with which Emma was close against her …The confident exhale that cooled Regina’s chest … The delicate yet confident squirming to Emma’s hips …

It was the perfect storm.

Regina unravelled and came pressed against Emma, frantically clinging onto the strong shoulders on top of her as her orgasm gripped from inside – the shaking and trembling only slowing after Emma slowed the rhythm of her fingers from under Regina’s undoubtedly lacy panties.

_So Regina likes to touch herself fully dressed in lingerie? Or is this just for me?_

Emma’s mouth watered as she watched Regina come undone and then slowly recover in her arms. She couldn’t stop staring, wanting her again. She wanted her forever.

Without words, Emma closed the space between them and kissed Regina softly and slowly – moaning loudly when she tasted Regina on the woman’s own lips.

“Fuck,” she cursed under her breath, her left hand still smoothing between Regina’s legs as she shifted to lie properly between Regina’s legs. She laid on top of her with both hands aside Regina’s shoulders with blonde hair draping over Emma’s right shoulder. “Holy hell, woman …”

“Don’t be mad,” Regina teased breathlessly, bringing her hands up to Emma’s lips. She was hot and sated and delirious with her release, but there was just something about Emma that drew out the tease in her. Regina started tracing Emma’s lips with her fingers mischievously as if to tease that it was the only way Emma would be able to taste her. “It _was_ good, _wasn’t_ it …? You know, now that I’m finished.”

Emma chuckled at the appalling tease, catching one of Regina’s wrists in her hand to pin it to the bed. “You … drive me insane …" she panted. "D’you know that?”

“Yes,” Regina moaned, trailing her free hand between them. Down from between Emma’s breasts to the infamously low waist of Emma’s jeans. “Yes … I like that, I think …”

“The jeans or teasing me out of my fucking mind?” Emma scoffed, memorizing the look of pleasure on Regina’s lovely, smiling face. Emma knew right then that she would do anything to keep that smile on Regina’s face, however humiliating or impractical.

“Let me go,” Regina pouted as if she weren’t powerful enough to force Emma to let her go. As if Emma wouldn’t have let her go if she’d really meant it. The helpless attitude had Emma pinning her harder – pinning both hands above Regina’s head.

Emma looked down at Regina and the mess of usually-pristine hair over the silky sheets and felt tears come to her eyes. She didn’t know what to say, but when she saw the tears in Regina’s eyes, too, she knew her feelings were understood. It was a big moment for them both. It was a leap of faith to trust one another in bed, and it was clear then that they did. Regina was giving up control and Emma was pleasing her with a newfound sense of dominance.

“I’ve never needed anyone like I need you …” Emma confessed with a smile, giving Regina another tender kiss before pulling back and reading into those smoky brown eyes.

“Is that so …?” Regina whispered back, eyes closed with delight: “I wonder why …”

Emma smiled and leaned a little further – crushing Regina’s chest with her own only to kiss those appetizing lips, that clever cheek and start her way adventurously down Regina’s body.

“Careful,” Regina teased, obviously feeling anything but cautious as her breath caught at the back of her throat. “Em-ma! … I … can be quite sensitive …”

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want you enjoying this,” Emma quipped back, licking down Regina’s neck to her collarbone where she paused and traced her teeth from shoulder-to-shoulder.

Regina was in heaven. Never had any lover surprised her so much or communicated with her so lovingly. She and Emma could communicate with glances alone.

When Emma’s mouth started a slow descent down from her chest, Regina became impatient. “Can … can you help me out of this?” But as she spoke, Emma pulled back the covers to see the stockings Regina had worn just for her.

Countless times, Regina Mills had caught Emma staring at those stockinged legs, and scowled at her for it. It was time, Emma thought with a grin, to enjoy the sight.

“Oh no … you’re not getting out of these so easily.”

Regina laughed and groaned all at once, laughing even harder when Emma playfully flipped her over onto her stomach to catch sight of the little seam Emma had always wanted to caress.

“Get off of me!” Regina laughed, blushing when she imagined how that might sound if anyone were to overhear them. “Emma …”

“Not yet!” Emma laughed in turn, keeping Regina pinned in place with a hand on the curved lower back with a strong hand. “Look at these …”

“Yes, I’ve seen them,” Regina whined, squirming onto her back again as Emma draped herself on top. “What the hell are you trying to do?! Prove you’re stronger? Because I could have told you that.”

“But you wouldn’t have,” Emma tested playfully, smoothing her hands from Regina’s wrists to her sides – breathing into her neck with the warm, tender lust that had grown over the years she had known the town mayor. Her son’s other mother – that infuriating woman. “… Would you?”

“I would never knowingly make anything easy on you,” Regina teased so flirtatiously it had Emma’s excitement piqued again.

“Well then you’d better get ready for round two,” Emma haunted – her voice dripping with lust. “… Because something tells me we’re just getting started …”

Regina looked up into Emma’s eyes and brought her hands to Emma’s face, taking in the familiar face in the privacy of her bedroom. Memorizing the expression she saw staring back at her. “Seeing as I haven’t touched you yet, I’d say that’s an accurate assessment.”

“If you can still throw around those ten dollar words, I haven’t done my job yet either,” Emma smiled in the lop-sided way that had Regina kissing her again. Bringing perfect hands over Emma’s sides, pulling them closer while Regina’s legs wrapped around her hips.

“Miss Swan … let me touch you …? I know I can make you feel good …”

“Oh, I never doubted that.”

Regina laughed, and Emma suddenly realized that she had never seen a lover so free in bed with her. It was an inspiring sight, but Emma felt her voice grow rather shaky at the prospect at Regina touching her for once and for all: “I’ve gotta say … I never thought this would actually happen …”

“Oh, really?” Regina smiled, allowing her hands to roam down from Emma’s shoulders to her breasts, cupping them gently. Looking honestly into Emma’s eyes she squeezed. “You didn’t have much confidence I wanted you? Is that it?”

“Well, I don’t know if I’d say that, but-” Emma was silenced when Regina’s hands suddenly slipped around her sides to squeeze her ass over the tight material of her jeans – overwhelmed with surprise at the overtly sexual gesture.

“I want you, Emma,” Regina said seriously, her voice that of a woman in heat. "I want to touch you ... let me?"

Emma swallowed hard, melting onto Regina. Kissing and squirming and rolling with her until she felt Regina’s hands at the button on her jeans, Emma tilted her head back and tried to steady her breathing at the irresistible sensation. She thought with a grin that while Regina was cautiously and experimentally kissing down the soft slope Emma’s neck, if there was one thing she learned during her time in Storybrooke, it was _never question the mayor_.

 


	26. Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Regina take their time.

 

“Does that feel good?” Regina panted into Emma’s ear, leaned over her. Hands were wandering over Emma’s clothes. Lips were hot and wet and curious.

The culmination of so many elements had Emma completely unravelled. Her eyes rolled back as she held onto Regina and swallowed down another strangled moan at the way Regina’s lips could predict the most sensitive spots along her neck. “Yes … I … I love _that_ …”

“What? This?” Regina asked, leaving a chaste kiss right under Emma’s ear and then sucking gently.

“Ahh! … _Ahhhhh_ … yes …”

Regina grinned to herself. Emma was much easier to read than she thought. For some reason, she had imagined reading a woman’s body would in some way be a frustrating puzzle, but Emma’s spoke to her just fine. Better than fine, perhaps.

Emma arched when Regina rushed a hand under her shirt. It wasn’t like Emma remembered – being with a woman. It was almost a familiar feeling, being touched by Regina. Like she and Regina had enjoyed it countless times before. She felt herself shiver when Regina straddled her thighs and leaned down so close that those beautiful breasts pressed down against hers. Emma closed her eyes at the feeling, even through the clothing they were each still wearing. She couldn’t help but moan.

The slow journey was allowing them both to see through easy lust to something deeper. They touched one another with such purpose because they needed each other. Sex was not a means to an end. It was a declaration of the need they shared. The feelings they had.

“Do you like being on your back?” Regina panted, obviously just as aroused by the situation as the woman she was needlessly seducing. And was there a hint of a smirk on her lips?

Emma smiled up at her, bringing a strong hand into Regina’s hair to just look at her for another moment. “You don’t have to do this … if you’re not comfortable.”

“Are _you_ not comfortable?” Regina asked, suddenly concerned.

Emma couldn’t help but chuckle, low and deep. Regina’s eyes grew darker at the sound. “Regina, if you don’t know that I want you by now-” But she wasn’t able to finish that thought before she felt Regina’s hand excitedly slip into her open jeans – stealing a gasp from Emma’s lips.

Regina’s hand settled over Emma’s panties and simply pressed as they both caught their breaths. Regina slowly pulled her wrist back from the open jeans to slip under the tight panties she was sure had some horrid pattern all over them. Regina smirked at that thought until her fingers moved gently over Emma’s sex – both of them moaning when Regina had finally touched her. Emma was so swollen that Regina could hardly breathe. Had she done that?

As soon as Regina started to move her fingers in tender circles, Emma cried out and clenched her teeth to keep her tone at a reasonable decibel. When Regina’s fingers teased down a little further, however, Emma’s hands gripped at Regina’s shoulders.

Regina moved slowly and cautiously, reading Emma’s expressions as she moved so as not to hurt her as she experimentally moved her fingers, pleased that she found quickly how Emma preferred to be touched. Featherlight touches and then a very slow, hard pressure.

It wasn’t at all like she thought it would be. She had imagined Emma’s body would be exactly like hers, but Emma felt so different. The slope of Emma’s curves, the larger, less sensitive nub between her legs, and that splendid feeling Regina had once she was inside of her. It was nothing like touching herself. It was so much more enticing. It was addictive by nature.

“Yes! … Deeper …” Emma pleaded, after Regina had started teasing her with just the tip of her finger.

“If you want me any deeper, I’m gonna have to undress you, Dear …” Regina whispered, thrilled at the very prospect. Emma nude. Regina bit her lip.

Emma was trying to wiggle out of her own clothes in a desperate act of desire when Regina stopped her and tugged off her jeans while keeping eye contact with the trembling sheriff. It grew hotter between them as Regina undressed her, taking her sweet time peeling back Emma’s layers until she was lying back. Naked.

“You too,” Emma said uncertainly, as if she wasn’t sure Regina would _want_ to be naked on top of her. But without another word, Regina reached behind herself to undo her lingerie garment. She slipped it off and eased down her panties, leaving only her garter and stockings.

“Would you like me completely naked or will this do, Miss Swan …?”

Emma looked like she was about to faint, so Regina took pity on her and leaned over her again. Smiling at the shock on Emma’s face.

The moment Regina leaned over her, however, Emma’s demeanor completely shifted. Regina was no longer an uncertain woman. She was as confident as Emma was herself. She wanted touch. She wanted to be wanted.

Emma’s hands moved to Regina’s breasts while Regina’s hand appetizingly found its place between Emma’s thighs again. That same finger teased Emma again before finally delving in – Regina realizing that if she just found a better angle, she could use another finger to bring Emma to climax. Regina’s smile aroused the sheriff more while they started a rhythm, and all it took was a well-placed thumb for Emma to combust at the pleasure of Regina’s touch.

Regina watched with rapt fascination as Emma went completely silent and arched as she came. Emma’s hands reached out to the sheets, grabbing and tugging so hard that the corners of the fitted sheet came up from the tucked ends of Regina’s bed.

Focused so much on the fingers sunk so beautifully inside of her lover, Regina only noticed that the fingers of her other hand had dug into Emma’s thigh when she heard a desperate hiss from the woman’s lips. Regina looked with concern to her instinctive touch only to realize Emma was enjoying it. The mystery of it had Regina smiling as Emma slowly came down from the high she had so exquisitely reached.

Regina laid purposefully on top of Emma as they both relaxed at last, finding great comfort in the feel of Emma’s arms wrapping around her back. They were both panting, hot, and sweaty. The feel of it all made Regina smile with completeness. Lying naked with Emma felt so intensely right.

“So what the _hell_ was that …?” Emma grinned with a shaky moan, brushing her hand through Regina’s hair as the mayor laid with her head on Emma’s chest.

“What was what?” Regina sighed back, finally catching her breath.

“Your … fingers. Digging into me.”

“You didn’t like it …?” Regina asked, trying not to smirk against Emma’s chest. She knew Emma had enjoyed it, but would Emma admit it? Would Emma even be self-aware to realize how she’d reacted to it with such favor?

“… How did you know it would make me feel good?”

Regina picked her head up and smiled when Emma combed her hair back from the sheen of sweat over her face – stray strands tucked behind her ears. “I … don’t know. I didn’t actually realize I was doing it until … it was done.”

Emma had been aimlessly roaming her hands over Regina’s vulnerable, soft body when she realized she had excited Regina again.

Emma shifted them in one confident move – Regina lying underneath her with a playful smile. Emma moved her hand between them, the backs of her fingers grazing down soft legs, past the thigh-highs that she so enjoyed up to Regina’s bellybutton and back down again when she heard a hitch in the mayor’s breath. “Still excited, are we?”

Regina used her legs to pull Emma down on top of her again, taking Emma’s face in her hands. “Touch me …?”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll completely lose my mind if I have you again?” Emma teased, slowly looking up from her lashes. Into Regina’s fiery eyes.

“No,” Regina moaned, feeling a soft touch move down her abdomen. “I trust you …”

Emma was immediately lost, slipping her free hand under Regina’s back to press against her. She moaned into Regina’s ear at the heat her fingers had found. Regina was more than perfection.

“Put your fingers in me …” Regina whispered seriously, and Emma moaned at the very suggestion. With deep breaths, Emma slipped her fingers down to tease Regina for only two seconds before slipping inside her. “Em-ma …”

Emma tried to ignore the pulse between her own legs as she worked to satisfy Regina’s every need – filling her when Regina asked, and kissing her wherever the beautiful mayor requested. While Emma was bringing Regina to her second climax, she drew back to note the absolute ecstasy on the voluptuous features of Mayor Mills and realized Regina’s weakness was not being topped or aggressively pulled about. Regina was a woman who craved a softer, more romantic atmosphere. She liked to be spoiled and doted on with a silky touch. _No wonder why she’s got all this ridiculous silk_ , Emma thought with a smile, watching Regina fall apart in her hands.

When Regina ceased up against Emma and grabbed for her, the sheriff took in the sight with hungry eyes. She had never seen anything as orgasmic as Regina Mills in the throes of a passionate climax – legs open, back arched, hands weakly grabbing for something to hold onto.

Regina tightened around her fingers so delectably that Emma thought she would cum again just from watching her. She leaned closer over Regina as the mayor’s body settled, kissing her gently until tired arms laced over Emma’s shoulders.

Regina’s throaty laugh seemed to echo in the otherwise silent room around them: “Miss Swan … I must say I never … expected this …”

“What? That I would be able to make you feel this way? Come on – have a _little_ confidence in me.”

“No,” Regina laughed. “That I couldn’t stop thinking about pleasing _you_ while you were pleasing me,” Regina panted honestly, looking up at Emma. “That … is not typical for me …”

“You don’t say?” Emma teased, “And what do you usually think about?”

“That I like feeling good,” Regina smiled, offering the honest answer for what it was.

“Mmm … I like the sounds of that,” Emma smiled back.

The two women laid naked together, playfully wrestling and tangling in the sheets with desperation until Regina allowed Emma to pin her against the mattress – panting and exhausted.

“Is it just me …” Regina breathed, accepting another hot kiss before continuing: “Or … do you … really like to hold me down, Miss Swan …?”

Emma grinned in a way so wicked, a little moan slipped from Regina’s lips.

“I can’t help it if you look this perfect when you’re helpless,” Emma teased, nipping at Regina’s neck until the laughter had them both in a fit before calming and lying face-to-face.

When Emma was simply appraising the look on her face and the mess she made – hot and flushed – Regina continued: “How did you know I would like being touched so … gently?”

“I didn’t know until I saw you react,” Emma admitted with fatigue, relaxing with her eyes closed when Regina laid with a cheek rested on Emma’s stomach. “My God … what’re we gonna do?”

Regina breathed, utterly content: “About what?”

“I don’t know,” Emma laughed. “I really don’t know.”

“Well we’re going to have to discuss telling others about us,” Regina mumbled, already drifting off as her body so desperately needed rest.

“Mmm,” Emma agreed, hands slowing through Regina’s hair as she started to drift off herself.

They slept for a few hours together that evening until Emma woke up, startling Regina along with her. She had been remiss to wake Regina when she looked so beautifully peaceful in her sleep, but she didn’t want to leave without announcing why, so she had gently shaken the slender shoulders and smiled at Regina’s groggy voice.

“Are you alright?” Regina asked in the otherwise very dimly-lit room, exhaustion in her voice.

Emma smiled at the sound, wishing she would never have to pull herself away. “I … I’m supposed to go pick Henry up from my parents’, actually.”

“Oh,” Regina answered, as if there was something larger on her mind.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just don’t know if he would approve of all this.”

Emma chuckled, pulling herself slowly to the edge of the bed. “I don’t think he needs to know about _this_ exactly …” She laughed when Regina threw a pillow at her.

“You know what I mean, you idiot.”

Emma cast a glance over her shoulder at Regina in all her beautifully-sleepy glory. “We can talk tomorrow if you want. Or … we could meet up later this week if you want. I’m gonna be swamped tomorrow, though.”

“Too busy for this?” Regina teased, gesturing to herself with a mocking shimmy of her shoulders even with the comforters tucked under her arms. Even with her eyes half-closed.

“Tease,” Emma laughed, motioning to Regina’s ensuite once she had stood from the bed. Naked.

Regina stared at her – rubbing her eyes and allowing herself to take in the sight for the first time. Breathless.

It was only after Emma teasingly covered herself with a blanket and waved that Regina realized the blonde seductress had been talking.

“… Sorry?”

“Shower?” Emma chuckled, gesturing to the ensuite.

“I wish I could,” Regina said with sleep still in her voice, willing her body to cooperate: “I think I’m too tired.”

“I meant for _me_ ,” Emma chuckled. “Is there a shower in there?” She laughed again when Regina finally responded, shaking her head as she headed into the washroom.

It was a shower that did end up being for them both, however, as Regina couldn’t seem to help herself from joining and Emma found it was time efficient to have someone else wash her body while she lathered her own hair.

They were both still drying off when Regina magicked them into clothes with a turn of her wrist, dressing Emma in the same lovable dark skinny jeans but a crisp white blouse tucked into the low-rise waist. Emma arched a brow at the wardrobe choice, leaning her damp hair away from the soft cloth. “Couldn’t have dried my hair too, huh?”

“I like it wet,” Regina teased, walking past Emma in her designer dress into the hall.

Once Emma was ready to leave, she grinned at Regina with a look that wouldn’t seem to fade – damp hair pulled up into a bun. Boots and blouse leaving Regina completely breathless.

“Miss Swan … you look …”

“You dressed me, so I don’t take that as much of a compliment,” Emma teased, pulling Regina in for little kiss on her lips.

“But it’s not me filling it out so nicely …” Regina flirted, earning a kiss on her nose that made her scrunch up the extremity with a roll of her eyes. “ _Must_ you do that?”

Emma gave her one last soft kiss before heading for the door, and turning back one last time. “I’m heading over to get Henry. If you wanna talk … call. Really. I don’t want you to feel like I’m running out. Tonight was … the most amazing … unexpected thing that’s ever happened to me. I just … I have to go.”

“I’m well aware of your responsibilities for Henry,” Regina sassed. “As I recall, I’m a parent myself.”

“I uh … I had a … really great time, Regina.” Was she blushing?

The shy reaction made Regina excited all over again. “Me too …”

“Okay, well … I’ll talk to you later,” Emma finally said, heading off into the night.

Regina watched her go, closing the door and making her way upstairs with her entire body whining from the sexual activity she had been sorely lacking for so long.

When Regina couldn’t sleep later that night, she called Emma and calmed instantly to the timbre of the sheriff’s familiar voice. It was as if Emma had known her intimately for years, and they’d only shared the intimacy that night.

“I wish … you’d slept here,” Regina found herself admitting, hiding her face in the covers at the startling admission. She really preferred to keep such embarrassing things to herself.

Emma moaned into the phone, relaxing in bed herself: “Well, me too. I’ve dreamed about sleeping with you for longer than I can even remember. Was there a time when I didn’t want you?”

Regina smiled: “I don’t know – _was_ there?”

“No … I don’t think so. Not really. Just, maybe I could tell myself I didn’t. But I always wanted to know what it would be like to be _with_ you. You were always … so different.”

Regina let out a pleasant sound, and ran her hands down between her legs. “Tell me where you are. _Exactly_ where you are.”

Emma couldn’t believe the mayor’s audacity – or her stamina. They had enjoyed a very lengthy sex session earlier, and with one romantic confession, Regina was at it again. The brunette’s hunger for touch engulfed Emma completely.

“Uh … I … I’m in my bed. At my place.” She listened closely to the sound of Regina’s breath and kept herself quiet. Aroused endlessly at the image of Regina touching herself. After having seen it with her own eyes, she felt unable to keep from seeing the image seduce her. “You’re incredible … you know that?”

“I’m … craving something, I’m afraid,” Regina teased, obviously finding great humor in Emma’s frustration. “Apple pie, maybe …”

Emma chuckled on her end, rolling her eyes with a playful grin as she talked quietly into her phone in the darkness of her room: “You horrible tease – you’re not hungry.”

“… Aren’t I?” Regina moaned loudly, wetting Emma at the insinuation.

“Regina … shh …”

“I’m alone here, unlike you,” Regina teased again, moaning. Her breath fluttering as if she had completely lost her pace of breathing. What was she doing to herself? “Tell me … are you touching yourself, too?”

Before Emma could answer that she was trying to keep a levelled head, Regina went on.

“I … I wonder what you imagine … when you think of me, Miss Swan …”

Emma bit on her lip, taking her sheets into her empty fist. Squeezing and trying to keep her breathing even. “Regina.” Was that supposed to sound like a stern reminder to behave?

“Maybe you like to think of me spanking you …?”

Regina talking dirty to her over the phone pushed Emma past the point of frustration to the point of impossible need. And as much as she hadn’t meant to frighten the mayor with such admissions, she couldn’t seem to help herself from replying. “… The … the other way around, actually …”

Regina moaned louder, and Emma couldn’t stand it anymore. She slipped her hand down into her flannel pyjamas and touched herself softly to the sound of Regina’s pleasure.

Once they had both found the release they so desired, they listened to each other’s breathing until Regina’s voice broke out over the silence: “Miss Swan?”

“Oh God, no more teasing …” Emma panted quietly, too tired to laugh. “Please … I’m old.”

Regina _did_ laugh then. Moaning with joy. “I think … I think it might be nice for us to not be alone the next time we meet … I … I find myself only invigorated by the ability to finally be touched. I … fear we wouldn’t get much done if you were to come over for dinner with me alone, in this empty house. Just you and little old me …”

Emma chuckled, closing her eyes to the perfect sound of Regina’s beautiful voice. “You are insatiable. D’you know that?”

“I’m impressed you know that word,” Regina chuckled, earning a scoff that only fueled her teasing to escalate. “Are there any other words you’d like to surprise me with?”

When it sounded like Emma might begin to take offense, Regina spoke again.

“Is it misbehaving that you’d like … for me to earn my first spanking with you?”

“ _Jesus_ …”

“Or am I supposed to beg you?”

Emma couldn’t believe the way Regina was speaking with her as if it weren’t a taboo desire to so many: “You know … I must say I’m surprised by how good you are about all of this … I always imagined you were-” she moaned accidentally “-a bit more shy, in this sense.”

“A prude, you mean.”

Emma moaned then because she could just imagine Regina perched over her, taunting her. Regina was more to her than an instant craving she desired. Regina was a longing from within. She was a perfect storm of contentment that had Emma climaxing on multiple occasions at the many images she had of Regina Mills; the sinful tease, the adorable flustered woman, the dedicated mother, the responsible mayor. All images flashed through Emma’s mind at once, reminding her just how she felt about Regina. She loved her. And when she heard Regina’s voice on the other end again, she smiled.

“I want to see you again …”

Emma remembered quite fondly the feeling that clung to every atom of her being when she was tangled up in the sheets with Regina. The dark hair and dark eyes combining with those tantalizing lips – hands pulling the orgasm from her. Emma blushed in bed all alone, wondering how on earth she was going to see Regina in public and do more than stutter.

As Regina was still languidly touching herself to the sound of Emma’s enjoyment, Emma cleared her throat and whispered to her: “I want to see you, too … I want to take you out. Get to know you better.”

Pausing her ministrations, Regina whispered back into the phone: “Really, now? … You curious woman. And here I thought you’d known me for a while now.”

“Not the image,” Emma corrected. “The real woman. The real you, Regina.”

Lust momentarily forgotten, Regina beamed on her end. Grinning from ear-to-ear, she replied with true joy: “That sounds lovely, Miss Swan.”

 


	27. Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma stops by to share some new information and cooking ensues.

 

Emma found herself with her hands nervously in her pocket, standing at Regina’s back door. She knocked once again for good measure on the glass sliding door, and forced a smile when the drapery was pulled back to reveal a look of beautiful surprise on the mayor’s face.

The door was pulled open, and Regina kept the thin robe wrapped tightly around her as she gestured for Emma to come inside. Dressed in a light coat, scarf and toque, Emma stepped in and saw Regina quickly shutting the glass door behind her with a chill.

“What on earth …?” Regina started, locking the door behind them and whispering with concern: “Henry’s right upstairs – I nearly had a heart attack! I thought you were some intruder.”

Emma grew panicked at the very idea of an intruder at Mifflin, but pushed it from her mind for the moment with a large topic still on her mind. “We … need to talk. Remember a few days ago when you flipped out at Granny’s?”

Regina arched an unimpressed brow at the phrasing, but Emma didn’t relent.

“You know, and you kissed me in the street-”

“Shh!” Regina hissed, ushering Emma into the dining room and further away from her son’s earshot. “What’s going on? And why have you come to the back door? It’s not as if we’ve been sneaking around.”

Emma scratched the back of her neck nervously: “Mary Margaret may … have seen you kiss me … on the street that day …”

“What?!” Regina gasped, checking to make sure Henry wasn’t around. “Is she upset? Has she spoken to you?”

“Yeah … she’s not … exactly happy.”

“Oh my God …”

“Yeah, she might be staking out your house as we speak … so I might have had to sneak around back …” Emma answered with difficulty, digging her hands into her pockets again. Looking down. “I … I don’t really know what to-”

“This doesn’t change anything,” Regina said, and in that single moment, she soothed Emma’s concerns. Regina wasn’t running from the judgement of others. Emma didn’t know why she had worried – all Regina’s life she had been judged and pushed into circumstances she didn’t necessarily enjoy. She was experienced in the disapproval of others, and she wasn’t afraid. “It’ll be fine, Emma.”

The comforting words had Emma overwhelmed with emotion. Not only was she getting to know Regina Mills on an intimate level, but the kind-hearted brunette was befriending her, too. They were closer than Emma had ever imagined. They were unbreakable together.

“I … I wasn’t sure what you’d say,” Emma said, looking down.

“What – you thought the Charmings could scare me away from getting to know you for once and for all?” Regina asked with only the concept of a smile. Approaching Emma softly, looking up to the wind-blown hair that spilled from the toque in messy strands. “Emma, Emma, Emma … what will I ever do with you? … Thinking me to be so fragile … I thought you knew I was made of sterner stuff.”

Emma reached out and pulled Regina to her by the tie of Regina’s soft robe, holding her in two cold but comforting arms. She held her and simply inhaled into the mix of lavender and uniquely-Regina scent that came from the beautifully olive skin of the mayor’s neck. Regina was always so warm for her … inviting, even. And strangely in that moment, it wasn’t a sexual need Emma felt. It was an emotional pull to lie with Regina and stroke her hair or bathe with her for the relaxation of it all. She yearned to simply _be_ with Regina. She wanted the closeness.

“What do you say we give her a little taste of her own medicine?” Regina smiled, enjoying Emma’s scent all the same, playing her fingers into the curls of Emma’s spectacularly golden hair.

“What? Stake _her_ out?”

“No, that just sounds disgusting,” Regina laughed. “No, we pester her for pestering us.”

“How exactly do you want to pester her?” Emma smirked, the very expression insinuating she worried on some morbid level Regina might like to poison the snoop.

“Why don’t I say goodbye to you at the door …? A nice, long … _slow_ goodbye … with a little tongue …?” Regina simmered playfully, looking up at Emma from under her perfect lashes. “Like you’ve been here all night, Sheriff …? Keeping me warm and safe ...”

Emma just managed to hold back her enjoyment at Regina’s tone of voice, and chuckled instead. “You’re horrible, you know that? And no, I’m not traumatizing my mother. Not yet anyway.”

Regina relented, having expected that answer. “Well why don’t I wake Henry up and I’ll make you both a big Sunday breakfast? It’s quite early.”

Emma nodded happily, but as Regina walked off, she grabbed the smaller wrist in hers and spun Regina in close again for another concern. Looking seriously into her eyes. “Hey, when the curse first broke … did … did anyone ever try to break in here? Hurt you …?”

Regina’s face was unreadable, and Emma found herself continuing despite her intentions to wait patiently for a response.

“I know you mentioned just now you were a little worried … and I’ve … always wondered, and I spent a lot of nights worrying about you.”

The answer Regina was about to first admit evaporated, and she sported a smile for Emma that spoke of maturity and grace. “You don’t need to worry about me, Dear. I can handle myself.” When Emma looked more worried than not, Regina smiled more sincerely: “And trust me, anyone who threatens the safety or well-being of my son does not leave unscathed. I’m fine, Emma. Do you believe me?”

Emma wanted to press the matter, but left it well enough alone, asking instead: “But you have an alarm system?”

Regina leaned in on her toes and kissed Emma fully on the lips. “Yes, Dear. Henry and I are perfectly safe.”

“And it’s hooked up to that glass door? Because intruders always break in at the back or-”

“Quit worrying,” Regina chuckled, throwing her arms around Emma’s shoulders which soothed the tense Sheriff immensely. “Quit your worrying and look at me. I am _perfectly fine_.”

“I would have been in here in a heartbeat-”

“I knew that, Emma.” The look in Regina’s eyes was so intense, Emma swallowed back the emotions brimming behind her eyes. “I always knew that.”

“And I still would!”

Regina walked off again, dragging Emma behind her that time until they found themselves in the kitchen. “Yes, you’re quite protective. I see that. Now tell me – plain pancakes or with chocolate chips?”

The way Emma’s eyes lit up as she squeaked out “Chocolate chip” had Regina laughing to herself as she took out the step stool and reached up in her pantry for the treat. She allowed for Emma to needlessly support her and help her down because she could sense Emma needed it.

By the time Henry came sleepily down the stairs to the main floor, Emma had taken off her outerwear and discarded it on one of the stools at the island. She was already mixing pancake batter and laughing at the state of his hair as he recognized his mother’s kitchen helper.

“… Emma?”

“Yeah, Kid,” she smiled, having mostly forgotten of the possibly troubled past of the mayor. “And I’m making you pancakes, so don’t say I never did anything for you.”

He rubbed his eyes, yawning: “Did you stay the night?”

Regina’s eyes went wide at the suggestion, but Emma was calm and collected in her answer.

“Nope. Just got in, and it is one cold day out there so your mom thought pancakes would be a good idea.”

Henry yawned and recognized her coat on the chair, smiling as he gathered his seat – pleased his mothers weren’t lying to him and treating him like an oblivious five-year-old. “Can you make mine big? I like two huge pancakes, right Mom?”

Regina smiled and leaned against the counter, watching Emma and Henry smile up at her, and she sighed with utter happiness. “Yes, Henry. And don’t forget the river of syrup that I disapprove of.”

“Right,” he laughed. “And the syrup!”

“Ooh, syrup,” Emma teased, pretending to bring the wooden spoon to her lips for a taste.

“EEW!” Henry and Regina both laughed at once – Regina swatting the thing away from the playful woman’s mouth.

“That’s so gross!” Henry laughed, only laughing harder when Emma went for it again and Regina had to push the bowl across the counter to keep Emma from reaching it. “Eat the chocolate chips instead!”

Emma cackled with exaggeration as she lunged instead for the chocolate chips and poured them into her mouth so they fell all over the immaculately-cleaned floor. The joke had Henry in a fit of laughter and Regina crossing her arms. Trying not to find the sight so damned endearing.

“You’re cleaning that up,” Regina sighed, rolling her eyes as she went to turn on the stovetop and wield a pan in her hands in an almost-threatening sense. _Or else_.

“Yes, Ma’am!” Emma laughed back, placing the treat back on the counter and clasping her hands behind her back.

“I’ll help,” Henry offered, only happy to contribute to a fun morning with his two mothers who had cheered each other from a sadder lot in life. He swept the chocolate chips while Emma held the pan, miming her infamous five-second-rule to a fault.

“If you eat anything off the floor, Miss Swan,” Regina said while cooking their breakfast – without turning from the food. “You can kiss these pancakes goodbye.”

Emma emptied the dustpan into the garbage before closing in behind Regina and turning her to kiss her lightly on the lips, showing Henry that there was nothing to be ashamed of in her love for Regina.

“Am I forgiven?” Emma asked, one hand at Regina’s back. Comforting her.

Henry chuckled as he found his seat again, seeing not only Emma’s smile, but Regina’s contentment in response.

“You’re forgiven,” Regina chuckled: “For now.”

It was nice – Henry thought cheerily – to see his moms so honestly happy, too.

 


	28. Witnessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary Margaret confronts Regina.

 

Regina was walking from her car toward the grocery store when Mary Margaret came rushing out of nowhere, calling out to her. Surprised, Regina halted mid-stride, and turned on her heels to the flailing jog of her lover’s wayward mother.

“Ah … Mary Margaret. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Mary Margaret almost tripped over her own two feet at the way Regina was looking at her. Staring daggers into her, more like. Had she caught her watching the house? “… Regina.”

They stood watching one another for a moment before Mary Margaret decided to get on with it: “Well … I wanted you to know that … I am aware of your relationship with my daughter. I witnessed a surprisingly _public_ kiss, and … well, I’m aware of the … closeness you two seem to have.”

The sensitive phrasing surprised Regina, but she tried not to let it show.

“I … spoke with Emma after a very … confusing day of trying to deal with what it all might mean, and she has explained to me that she is not being manipulated by you in any way.”

Regina crossed her arms, as if to ask what Mary Margaret was meaning to bring to her attention on a cold Tuesday morning in the middle of a shop’s parking lot.

“I … I came out here to speak with you,” Mary Margaret said at last, sighing. “I … want to try and support Emma, especially after all this time without her, but … trusting that this is all something _she_ wants … it’s …”

“It’s hard to believe,” Regina finished, figuring as much.

Mary Margaret dropped her head for a moment: “I … _am_ trying, Regina.” Then she looked up, glaring at Regina in turn. “But you haven’t exactly treated me well in the past, and … if this was some ploy to get back at me or at David, or-”

“I will thank you not to try and taint what I have with Miss Swan with your foolish dramatics,” Regina snapped, trying to calm herself to react appropriately to the antagonizing concerns. “I hope you haven’t spread such rumours.”

“No! Of course not. I wouldn’t ever want to hurt my daughter.” Mary Margaret insisted, eyes wide and hands finally hanging loosely down at her sides. As if she didn’t want to throttle the woman who had once promised to take away all of her happy endings. “I … I'm here to speak with you face-to-face, to hear if what you … have with Emma is real.”

In a way, Regina was touched. She was touched to know someone was looking out for Emma when the protective woman had never had such protection when she was younger. So Regina smiled, but just as quickly, it had gone. “I give you my word. Not that I wish to discuss it right now, but I do have feelings for Emma. Feelings that-”

“Alright, I … I don’t need to hear details,” Mary Margaret interrupted, blushing when she saw one of the townspeople smile and walk past them to the store.

“What did you think I was about to say?” Regina chuckled humorously, rolling her eyes. “Lord you’re as naïve as they come.”

Snow looked stunned for a moment before turning and then twisting back to Regina once more. Looking uncertain of what her own next move would be. “I guess … I … maybe we should ... have you and Emma over one time …”

_Just what I’ve always wanted – a dinner party that leaves me suicidal …_ But Regina didn’t voice her sarcastic comments. Instead, she put on her best smile, bit back the sarcasm, and nodded. “Sure.” For Emma’s sake, Regina was willing to sit and have dinner with the Charmings. If nothing else, _that_ proved to Mary Margaret that Regina’s feelings were real indeed. Even if she still wasn't sold on Regina's sincerity of intent, her feelings were real.

“Great. Well, we’ll keep in touch then.”

Regina tried to keep back her snarky responses, holding what smile she could as Mary Margaret skipped off to her car.

 


	29. Hike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina plans their next date to distract them from the possibly awkward meal with the Charmings in the next few weeks.

 

“Well … this isn’t what I would peg as a date planned by Regina Mills,” Emma teased, eyes assessing the casual cargo pants and army green shirt that fell loose at Regina’s hips.

They stood in a ditch at the side of the road just on the outskirts of town – fitted with day packs and running shoes. Dinner with the Charmings hung ominously over their heads in another two weeks’ time, but in the meanwhile, Regina had seen fit to be the one to arrange their next true date.

“This is an afternoon I planned with you in mind, Miss Swan,” Regina smirked. “And I thought you might enjoy a little rough backwoods for some get-to-know-each-other time … was I wrong?”

“Not one bit,” Emma grinned in reply, biting her lip at the image Regina made in such anti-feminine attire. She was a vision in a designer dress, but dressed-down definitely had its appeals. When she licked her lips at the sight, Regina rolled her eyes playfully and headed off toward the trees. “Hey, hey – wait! Where do you think you’re going?”

Regina paused, turning: “I distinctly remember you telling me on the phone last week how much you missed getting away and cutting into the woods when you were a teenager. Have I not read this properly?”

“No, I _mean_ …” Emma enunciated, walking over to Regina and helping her to step down into the ditch again. “… That you don’t just run off into the woods with no sense of direction. We have to know how to get back. You don’t walk in blind. That’s a good way to get lost.”

“Oh? And just how would you like me to walk into the woods, oh wise one?”

“You do what I say,” Emma said with a challenging grin that eventually splattered itself across her lips.

Regina countered with her own challenging smile, hands on her hips as she looked up into Emma’s eyes. “And if I want to walk wherever I choose …?”

“Then I’ll just sit here and wait to tell you I told you so once you’re lost and cold and need your magic to get back.”

“You are so impossible.”

Emma laughed: “Look, I want to get to know you. Will it really be impossible to follow me for a ways until you get the hang of things? … You can … ask me questions if you want. We’ll have privacy in there.”

Regina perked up at the mention of answers she might receive for the many curiosities teeming at the back of her mind. It took her thirty seconds to make up her mind, trailing dedicatedly after Emma Swan through the scratchy gate of tree branches.

It was relaxing, to follow behind Emma as they headed straight out from the road toward the distant echo of a stream. Regina stepped down over moss, crunchy leaves, muck, and plush grass – making her way through snappy branches although Emma held most of the longer sticks back for her to walk through unscathed.

As they walked, they talked.

“So, how often did you used to go gallivanting through the woods?”

Emma sighed, maneuvering around and over a fallen tree to stop and help Regina over it, too. “I used to go all the time alone when I was in the foster program, especially at one of the houses that backed onto a forested area. I would sneak out and just … go. It was … it was the one thing I really needed sometimes, and it kept me out of trouble some of the time.”

Regina slid off the rough bark of the tree, thankful for Emma’s helpfully guiding hand. “I suppose you’re wondering why I’m not better at this myself, having lived around the Enchanted Forest.”

“From what I understand, you were pretty sheltered,” Emma started, a smirk finding its way to her lips to warn Regina of a coming tease: “You know, _a bit more refined_ and all that …”

Regina chuckled: “Yes, I missed out, I suppose.”

“Yeah, messy stuff can be where the fun is though,” Emma laughed, pointing up ahead. “Let’s head over there and sit for a while.”

“I have a picnic in my bag. Would you like me to take out the food now or wait?”

Emma glanced over her shoulder, smiling at the woman she loved: “You brought a picnic? Regina Mills is going to eat in the muck and dirt of the woods?”

Regina bit her tongue to keep a snarky response from teasing a little too roughly. “Yes … I am able to eat where I like. And God, I hope you don’t mean we are literally eating in dirt.”

“Not without your best china!” Emma chuckled, earning a shove at the back of her shoulder only to find herself laughing harder. “Sorry.”

“You’d better be. Or you’re not getting to enjoy the best part.”

“A kiss?”

“The best course of food, you idiot.”

“Well as long as I still get a kiss …”

“The opportunity is fading with all of your sass,” Regina quipped, giggling inexplicably when Emma pulled an animated face and dropped to her knees in the middle of the forest.

“Nooo … no no no, _please_!” Emma teased, clasping her hands together playfully in true pleading form. “Nooo! I’ll be so good …” She crawled on her knees a little closer to Regina who instinctively backed away to find herself up against a tree.

“Get off your knees, you wayward fool!”

Emma kept playing, moving so closely to Regina that the proper mayor was adequately pinned to the bark of the tree at her back. Slowly, Emma lifted from her knees to cradle the back of Regina’s neck and lovingly setting a kiss on her lips.

Regina eagerly gave in without resistance, finding herself aroused at the clothes Emma had chosen as well. The looser-fitting jeans and belt with that tight tank top certainly showed the proper curvature of Emma’s stronger form and the roughness she so loved about Emma.

Regina’s hands gravitated to Emma’s belt, slender fingers blindly fiddling with the fastening until Emma felt it and chuckled into their tender kisses.

“Ah ah ah,” she teased, pulling Regina’s hands from her belt. “Not so fast, Your Majesty. We have a stream to find, and I will not have us getting lost. Remember … you’re trusting me to keep you safe.”

“How are you _more_ reserved in the forest?” Regina grumbled playfully, following after the woman who had been momentarily confused with the thorough kissing.

“That way,” Emma instructed, clearing her throat before hearing the stream in the distance. “It’s just up there.”

Once they found themselves setting up a nice spot to relax near the stream, Regina started to unpack their food while Emma set up a more comfortable place for Regina to sit.

“If you’re ever lost, you find flowing water, and follow that back to civilization,” Emma had instructed as she had been taught by another homeless, backpacking teen in her youth. “And that way you won’t be dehydrated either.”

“I hardly think I’ll find myself lost in a forest somewhere,” Regina smiled. “Well, not on my own at least.” It implied lovingly that she imagined Emma would be with her or find her, and the sentiment had them both smiling.

“I won’t get us lost,” Emma assured affectionately: “And you never know, Regina … It’s good to be prepared.” She watched the expression on Regina’s face turn from softness to one of reality, looking down at her bag deep in thought.

Regina continued to unpack, finding great care in the way Emma liked to protect and explain such things to her, in case such circumstances should arise. But more and more with each passing day, Regina found that a future without the irritating and marvelous Emma Swan was unthinkable.

“How do you feel about caviar?” Regina asked in all seriousness, as if that was what she had brought for their forest picnic.

Emma tried not to laugh, imagining Regina with caviar and high tea sitting there on the grass, pinky raised in all her refined glory.

“Uh … yeah, I’d … try it. For you.”

Regina smiled at her and handed over a deli sandwich. “Well, it’s good to know how much you care for my feelings.”

Emma laughed at how transparent she’d been, and offered the thoughtfully simple sandwich with a nod of approval. “I do. A lot.”

“Yes I know,” Regina answered honestly, taking out bean salad and a vegetarian wrap for herself – taking in the greenery and deep browns around them with a deep breath in and out. Green and brown – the colors of hers and Emma’s eyes. The thought made her happy, so she smiled.

“You’ve been smiling more lately,” Emma observed, waiting until she had chewed and swallowed the large bite of her sandwich. “It’s nice.”

“I suppose I have,” Regina answered quietly, clearly shy about the reason.

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with a new relationship, would it …?”

Regina smirked down at her wrap, taking a bite and shrugging as if she had no idea whatsoever.

“Mmm,” Emma chuckled, leaning back against the tree behind her to admire the way Regina sat upright on the packed dirt ground, as if it were the most comfortable position in the world. “You should eat on the ground more often … it suits you.”

“If this is a wise-crack about the stark difference of-”

“No,” Emma said so softly that Regina paused and turned to her. “No … you just look free there, looking around and … I don’t know, being one with nature and all that crap.”

Regina chuckled: “Poetic.”

“Yeah,” Emma shrugged, looking out across the little stream to the expanse of land beyond it.

“You know … you pretend to be so void of thought,” Regina said at last, watching Emma. “But you’re very intelligent, Miss Swan. And I am enjoying these chats more and more. More even when you express yourself properly … as you are perfectly capable of stringing together a workable sentence.”

“Damnit. Secret’s out, hey?”

Regina smiled, taking another small bite of her wrap. Watching Emma eating the sandwich she had so lovingly prepared for her.

They ate, talking about topics of mildly intriguing interests and curiosities until they started heading back toward the road where Regina had parked her car. They were still climbing over terrain when Regina nearly lost her balance, but grabbed onto a nearby thick branch and propelled herself forward, onto all fours up a small hill.

“Nice ass.”

Regina had confidently told Emma she could find their way back, and scowled jokingly over her shoulder as she had been walking up the slope with Emma directly behind her. Regina halted in place, nearly causing Emma to crash in behind her. Not that it would have been so awful …

“If that’s all you can think to say, I don’t think you’ll be seeing this ass for quite some time …”

Emma’s raised brows she saw in return had Regina nodding. Smiling.

“That’s right, Swan. And since I know you’re an _ass girl_ … you’d do well to keep focused directing us back and not gawking at me like some hormonal teenager.”

Emma chuckled at the observation, hurrying after Regina. “Wait – I meant to say that this new style of pants on you is … flattering.”

“Uh huh …”

“I really love it!” Emma beamed, jogging to Regina’s side to grin at the un-made face and hair of the woman she loved. “I … I like this look on you. Bare of masks.”

Regina stopped at the astute observation, watching Emma closely at the real honesty. “That’s a lovely thing to say, Miss Swan.”

“Romantic enough for you?” Emma teased, growing serious immediately after. She closed the space between them and grinned sheepishly at the woman standing before her. “I really like this side of you. I like when you open yourself to things that aren’t exactly comfortable for you. It’s … beautiful on you, Regina.”

Immediately the tired mayor softened, kissing Emma on the cheek and then kissing _her_ on the nose. “And intellectual phrasing looks good on you, too, Miss Swan.”

“You’re _Miss Swanning_ me again …”

“Oh?” Regina asked with feigned innocence, walking off past Emma. “And what does that mean?”

“Usually that you’re in the mood for something …”

Regina walked a little quicker, grinning: “Or … maybe you’re just reading too much into it?”

By the time Emma tried catching up to her, Regina was racing Emma back to the road – laughing and darting through the trees only to scream once Emma had caught her. Both women tumbled to the forest ground as Emma met her mark with both arms around Regina so as not to hurt her on impact. Emma rolled them until she was on her back looking up at Regina.

“I really loved this date. And I love that you thought of me when you set it up.”

Regina swooned on top of Emma, falling for the increasingly expressive town sheriff that never ceased to amaze her. And those strong arms laced so appetizingly around her lower back …

“I do think of you … I so enjoy learning new things about you …” Regina giggled, trying to swallow down the free laughter as she picked leaves off of her shirt.

“Anything you always wanted to ask but never have?” Emma asked, one of Regina’s legs between her simply to steady herself. Sexy all the same.

“I have wanted to know what your experiences were with other women for some time …” Regina blushed on top of her. “Especially … since that drunken night with the others …”

“And here I thought Regina Mills didn’t get drunk …?”

“Yes, Dear, but Emma Swan gets plastered.”

Emma laughed in full, flipping them so she could look down into Regina’s incredible eyes. “Alright … anything you want to know. It’s yours.”

“I wonder if it’s a strange occurrence to … want to … go down on a woman …”

Suddenly Emma’s heart picked up its pace, eyes appraising Regina’s slow smirk for what it was – a tease. But she couldn’t seem to stop her body’s reaction all the same. “You’re teasing me. You’re not really wondering that …”

“No, but I do wonder how much experience _you_ have with the act,” Regina finally confided earnestly. “Or if it’s strange to think of it so … often …”

Regina thought of going down on her? Emma felt her mouth go dry, but thought better of teasing or asking a question in response. Instead, she answered with all the love she had for the woman who had set up the most thoughtful date for her.

“No, nothing’s strange if you want it.”

Regina thought she had never felt so comfortable about her sexuality with anyone as she did with Emma. She sighed happily, smiling.

It was a feeling Regina kept even as she and Emma found the car and shared a pleasant drive back to Emma’s apartment where Regina kissed her good evening and headed back home.

Once Regina had arrived back home, she saw two text messages waiting on her phone and found herself smiling all evening as she thought back to Emma’s passionately inviting words.

**you could go down on me any day. i really thought it might be a bit much at first but now it’s all i can think about. thanks a lot for making me wet all evening while im out at work.**

**i think of cradling your head in my hands, directing you. not that you ever need the instruction. you’re a natural which of course drives me even crazier.**

Regina found that she quite liked driving Emma out of her mind. So she sent one text when she was certain Emma was in a meeting with the other staff at the station.

**Thinking of ordering all officers to wear proper uniforms just to undress you from it at work. I wonder how it might feel to sink to my knees and go down on you right there in your office.**

One minute later came a most entertaining response:

**will wear costumes for a good meal ……**

 


	30. Hardwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finds Regina in need of help.

 

Emma was humming along to herself as she drove, monitoring the streets of Storybrooke mid-afternoon with an iconic doughnut in-hand. She ate and drove, listening to some quiet music while keeping an eye out for anything out-of-the-ordinary. When she drove up to Mifflin, however, she noticed something most peculiar. There were piles of boxes on the mostly-shovelled driveway of Regina’s place, just sitting in the snow. And was that _Regina Mills_ trying to carry them into the attached garage? It appeared so. Regina was in boots, tight-fitting dress pants, a winter coat, gloves and a scarf, trying to lift but mostly dragging boxes heavy boxes into her garage. Emma pulled over incredulously, finishing her doughnut in one very unladylike bite to park on the street beside Regina’s place.

Regina had been groaning and hissing with frustration ever since the delivery truck from the store had dropped off her hardwood parcel in the snow and left just as she hurried out after them. And now the store was closed. “Imbeciles”, she grumbled as she worked, slipping on a patch of ice just when she had finally started to drag one of the boxes toward the safety and warmth of the garage.

Before Regina could pull herself up, there was a familiar voice at the road: “Regina!”

She would have known Emma’s concerned voice anywhere, silently cursing that Emma just had to see the moment where she fell. Well, it was the third time she fell, really, but who was counting?

“Oh my God – are you alright?” Emma asked.

The sheriff was still jogging over when Regina pulled herself up from the offensively heavy box and tried not to accept the irritatingly helpful hand reaching out.

“I am perfectly fine, Sheriff,” Regina sighed, straightening out her coat. “It’s these damn boxes that are the problem!”

“Ooh, a swear? From you?”

“Damn is not a swear,” Regina grumbled, panting when Emma reached out and stopped her, gesturing down to the boxes.

“What is all this?”

“Can I pull and talk at the same time?” Regina asked with obvious fatigue.

Wanting to help out, Emma took the box from Regina’s hands, pulled it to point upward, and picked it up in her arms, hugging it to her abdomen. “Where does it go?”

Regina looked startled that Emma could lift it so easily, and the sheriff tried desperately not to grin at the reaction. It made her want to lift Regina.

“It uh … goes in there,” Regina finally said, clearing her throat and pointing to the pile set on wood that she’d started.

“So … what am I carrying?” Emma huffed, bending properly to set the box down among the neatly-stacked pile Regina had already done. Half done, half to go.

“They’re hardwood,” Regina sighed, taking a much-needed rest from pulling, trying to lift, and slipping on the cold hard ground. “I’m redoing the floor of my study and … the absent-minded employees of the flooring place just left them here. Assuming I had henchmen to do the work I suppose.”

“That’s me,” Emma teased, walking past Regina with another box hugged against her. “Hey, why not just use your magic?”

“I tried, and completely ruined one of my boxes.”

Regina walked over to the pile and leaned down, trying to do what she had seen Emma do and lift the box to her body, but all she succeeded in doing was standing and then crouching it back down so she wouldn’t drop it. They were heavy and awkward to hold.

“Hey, why don’t you go inside and make some tea or something,” Emma suggested, walking back. “You look exhausted.”

“I’m fine,” Regina said, frozen in place when Emma lovingly walked up to her and took the gloved hands in her own. Emma pulled off Regina’s gloves one at a time.

“Your hands are red! Do they hurt?”

“Hey, there was no one else to help, and I’m not having those rejects from the store ruin a perfectly good dozen boxes of hardwood!” She softened at the look in Emma’s eyes, like the sheriff would have liked to go back in time and keep her from over-exerting herself.

“You can call me next time, alright?” Emma said seriously. “I can help, especially with something like this.”

“Emma, you’re on duty.”

The use of her first name sent shivers through the saviour that made her even stronger against the cold. “I can always have someone cover for me. Now get inside, Your Majesty. I think I can manage the rest on my own.”

“Emma-”

“This is not a discussion,” Emma teased with such authority that Regina felt as if the blonde were giving her a direct order as representative of the city. But Emma’s eyes told her something else completely – she loved Regina and didn’t want to see her hurt herself. “Come on, go inside.”

“Manners,” Regina teased, although she was desperate to get out of the cold.

“Please,” Emma chuckled. “Please get inside, and let me help you, you _difficult_ woman.”

Regina leaned in and instinctively planted a soft kiss on Emma’s cheek as thanks. And then she was off, letting herself back in to the house. Emma took a moment to watch Regina go, and then went to work moving the rest of the boxes, cursing to herself at the way she had seen Regina fall and slip on the icy patches. She made a note to herself to sand the driveway later.

Letting herself in through the front door, Regina sighed as she closed it shut behind her and started to undress from her winter wear. The moment she bent to take off her boots, she hissed and realized that the hand she had laid on her outer thigh was stinging. _Shit_ , she would bruise.

Regina was in the kitchen brewing some tea when the front door swung open and promptly shut again, locking the cold out.

A familiar voice rang out from the next room: “They’re in the garage, and the garage’s shut.”

Emma’s announcement from the foyer put a smile on Regina’s lips. “Thank you. Would you like some tea?”

Emma made quick work ridding herself of her winter clothes, walking into the kitchen to stop still at the sight. Regina was in black, fitted dress pants and a navy V-neck t-shirt that was damp from the exercise she’d had moving boxes, and – was Regina Mills not wearing a bra?

“I said would you like some tea?” Regina asked again, looking up at Emma only to follow her line and sight and pivot on her feet toward the sink, arms crossing over her chest. Immediately Regina was blushing a deep shade of red. “I was in a rush …”

She heard Emma slowly make her way into the kitchen until warm hips were resting against her bottom. Regina wondered if she’d heard correctly – was that the sound of a clasp undoing?

“Let me show you that I am not upset in the least with that …” Emma moaned into her ear, having rid herself of her own bra beneath her shirt – feeling her nipples harden against the material of her tank top. She spun Regina around with very little effort and watched the dark brown eyes helplessly drop to her chest. “See? … You’re not upset if I’m … a little under-dressed, are you?”

Regina just swallowed hard, biting on her lip. Emma’s arms … Emma’s breasts … it was too much all at once, and Regina was certain she wasn’t cut out for denying herself such an appetizing sight. She tried and failed to look away twice, instead finally stepping closer and putting her hands experimentally on Emma’s sides.

“See?” she heard Emma teasing. “It’s nice, isn’t it?”

But she still couldn’t bring herself to look away, even to see that Emma was most certainly grinning at her reaction. She had only seen those breasts once before … and she hadn’t memorized them quite vividly enough. She wanted to see them again. She wanted to touch them … _What was it about breasts?_ Regina found herself wondering.

She could only restrain herself, it seemed, until Emma actually lifted her shirt off. At the opportunity, Regina slipped her arms around Emma’s waist, and brought her lips to Emma’s breasts – mouthing and nipping at them much to Emma’s delight. Regina had never realized her own fascination with breasts until Emma was standing there, topless in her kitchen. And those jeans … that muscular abdomen … those controlling arms … Regina thought she would lose herself to lust.

Emma lost herself as well when Regina bent her knees and started making her way down.

Nervously, Emma’s breath caught in her throat. “You really weren’t-huh! … kidding about doing this with an on-duty sheriff, were you …?”

Regina licked just under Emma’s bellybutton while her fingers made quick work on the button on her jeans. Regina hissed when her knees finally sank completely to the floor, but stilled Emma with her hands when the sheriff tensed: “No … I’m fine. Let me do this.”

_Right there in the kitchen?!_ Emma could hardly breathe, wondering what exactly Regina was going to do when she remembered Emma didn’t exactly have a protruding apparatus.

All concerns were gone when Regina greedily tugged down her jeans and underwear to moan at what she found there – Emma’s very inviting and well-kept patch of hair leading to the forbidden fruit Regina had been so desperate to finally taste. She sunk down a little lower, and licked Emma first – unsatisfied with how little of Emma was available to her tongue. She quickly tugged Emma’s pants down further to rip them off from stumbling feet and spread Emma’s legs. She had wanted to taste her for so long … she had dreamed of tasting her. Really tasting her.

Emma fell against the counter, just managing to hold herself up with Regina _fucking_ Mills’s mouth suddenly between her legs. A part of her couldn’t believe it was really happening. The other part was too busy enjoying Regina’s tongue to think much of anything.

“Mmm …” Regina moaned loudly the moment she could taste Emma. The scent of her beautiful sheriff alone was enough to wet Regina’s thighs. Regina had always enjoyed reciprocating to please her partner, but tasting Emma was another story altogether. It was like every shiver and moan that fell from Emma’s lips was a stroke between her own legs. Every shake she felt from Emma was building pleasure.

At first, Emma didn’t know what to do with her hands. She had enjoyed women going down on her before, but never with the naivety or vigor that Regina seemed to have. It was almost confusing, the way Regina’s tongue so confidently slipped over her, venturing inside of her. _Inside of her?!_

Emma thought she might fall over.

“Mmm!” Regina moaned again, wrapping her arms around Emma’s thighs – keeping the shaky blonde on her feet. She seemed to crave more the more she licked. The more Emma reacted to her ministrations. It was infuriating, and it brought out her more aggressive need to _have_ Emma in every sense of the word.

Emma was close. It had been so long since anyone had gone down on her, and Regina’s tongue was more enthusiastic than anything she had ever felt. Suddenly Emma felt like a virgin, crumbling at the whim of the beautiful goddess on her knees.

“I … I thought you … might … want directions …?” Emma panted, despite knowing how ridiculous she sounded squealing with delight every few words.

“What is there to know?” Regina moaned, unwilling to take herself from the task for more than a second or two at a time. She spread Emma with her fingers, hungrily delving in again to angle her head – open-mouth kissing Emma over her most sensitive, pulsing need. “I want to put my tongue all over you so I am.”

Emma couldn’t disagree with that. Her eyes rolled back when Regina went at it again though she was unable to last much longer. Regina was putting her stamina to shame.

When Regina started squeezing her ass and rhythmically lapping her tongue at Emma’s clit, the shaky town sheriff came hard against the counter. Emma still couldn’t believe what had just happened as she came down with stars behind her eyes, trying desperately to hold herself up against the countertop.

“What do I do with this mess?” Regina teased, panting herself as she motioned to her mouth, licking her lips and bringing her hand up to her chin. She laughed low and deep when she felt how wet Emma had been against her face.

“ _Jesus_ …” Emma slurred, finding the sight completely arousing. “Jusss … Just wipe your mouth on … on my thighs ...”

“Your thighs?” Regina frowned, “But then _you’re_ all wet …?”

Emma was just barely holding herself up, elbows on the counter’s ledge. Eyes still soaking in the sight of Regina Mills on her knees. “I’m … I’m _already_ wet … Now … a little help here …?”

By the time Regina took Emma up on the idea, Emma had been helped to her back on the kitchen floor. She laid panting in an attempt to recover from her shock and reciprocate when Regina finally leaned over her and wiped her lips tentatively on Emma’s thigh. When she heard Emma moan and tangle fingers in her hair, Regina grinned and dipped down again to press her face into Emma’s thigh. She inhaled as she massaged her face – chin-to-nose – all over Emma’s thigh to finally give Emma another kiss between her naked legs.

“Well that was …” Emma started, meeting Regina’s eyes: “ _Fucking amazing_ …”

It was the one situation in which Regina wouldn’t correct her cursing.

“Glad to hear you enjoyed it,” Regina teased instead, hearing one of her knees crack at the unwelcoming tile of her kitchen floor. “I think we’d better get upstairs.”

“Upstairs? …” Emma laughed playfully which only further aroused the very hungry mayor. “My God … not that I’m complaining, but … what happened to the woman who didn’t want me to help you _carry_ _boxes_ on the job?”

Regina helped herself off her knees and braced herself on the counter, offering Emma a hand: “She just learned what you tasted like, and she isn’t about to let the opportunity slip by. That’s what.”

“Oh,” Emma sighed, as if that answered all of her curiosities. “That.”

“Come on, _Sheriff_ ,” Regina teased back, pulling Emma to her feet. “I’m not done with you yet.”

Finally on her feet again, Emma started to regain her strength, walking with the beautiful brunette up to her bedroom completely nude. Once they both fell onto the bed together, Emma rolled them so that she was perched on top with her hands gliding over Regina’s sides until she heard a distinctive hiss of pain. Shocked out of her arousal, Emma simply rolled Regina onto her stomach and pulled down her pants to reveal a wide, pale bruise forming on the outer thigh.

“Yes, you _may_ undress me,” Regina teased, moving her hands behind herself to try and pull her pants back up to hide what she was certain Emma was staring at. “I’m fine-”

“Regina! … Are you okay?”

“It’s from slipping on ice,” Regina chuckled, unable to deny how it made her feel when Emma pinned her wrists to keep her from hiding the injury. “Mmm …”

“You’re insane,” Emma chuckled into her hair, trying to deny that it felt so awfully pleasant to have Regina pinned under her, moaning. “I’m scared I’m gonna hurt you, Regina …”

“Not if you’re gentle …?” came the erotic answer, reminding Emma of something she had desperately wanted to try herself. Now, how to keep from putting pressure on Regina’s thighs …

Regina felt Emma slipping her pants completely off her of her body, hands immediately massaging her ass. Regina rolled her eyes: “This isn’t what I meant.”

Emma moaned over her joking complaints: “Mmm … you don’t want another massage …?”

Regina couldn’t help but laugh: “On my ass? Who needs an ass massage?” She squirmed and laughed at her own crass words again when Emma scoffed.

“Who? You do, that’s who …” Emma teased, finally pressing her naked body on top of Regina’s to whisper into her ear: “The massage doesn’t have to be with my hands you know …”

Regina swallowed down her nerves, shaky with the very idea. Was Emma going to lick her? Was she finally going to know what it was like to have a woman’s face between her legs?

“I could massage you with my feet?”

Regina was lost in another fit of laughter as they playfully wrestled when Regina couldn’t stand the teasing anymore – Emma being very careful not to put any pressure on the injury. They enjoyed the silly moment until Emma again took Regina by surprise – pulling her close and then lifting Regina’s hips in her hands.

It took balance and focus on Regina’s part to keep herself from performing a backwards somersault, but she just managed with Emma’s strong direction. Regina gasped at the change in position – her panties still on. Her legs closing with the surprise of the situation.

But then Emma was leaned over, dipping her head down and licking in broad strokes over her panties. Teasing her with the warmth and wetness of her tongue. Regina couldn’t think of anything but her desire to be completely naked and compliant so long as she could feel that tongue deeper … stronger between her legs …

“Take … take them off …” Regina whimpered with need, wriggling her hips until Emma slipped down her thighs and went back to running her tongue up and down until Regina couldn’t even see straight.

Regina’s legs started to pull apart when she ached to _see_ Emma licking her – even over her clothes. She felt Emma’s hands still steadying her, and Regina pulled off the small garment to spread her legs – moaning at the look on Emma’s face. The hooded eyes. The slow, patient tongue …

When Emma sunk her tongue inside of Regina, it changed the atmosphere completely. Suddenly all Regina wanted was more. She was begging – pleading – for Emma to be inside of her. She wanted Emma’s tongue, she wanted Emma’s fingers, she wanted Emma to be crushed against her body. She wanted everything all at once.

Emma let Regina down onto her hips again so that Regina laid flush with the mattress, backing her way to the foot of the bed to continue pleasing her. She spread Regina’s legs with unnecessarily strong direction and moaned at Regina’s desperate squirming. Emma hungrily took in the sight for a whole minute, driving Regina completely insane.

“Take off your shirt and I’ll do it,” Emma taunted, knowing how difficult it would be for Regina in that moment to take off even the simplest item of clothing.

Sure enough, Regina wrestled in frustration with her shirt until she was as naked as Emma. Bare and wanting.

Without another word, Emma was down on her knees and elbows, licking Regina with such energy that the mayor ceased up almost immediately. Emma grinned and kept on going, teasing Regina with her fingers as well when she saw fit to do so.

“I … ah … Em-ma! …” was all Regina could manage to say before she was tensing, arching, and squirming. Emma’s soft face and fingers all over her had her completely undone. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was tender and erotic at the same time.

Regina came with Emma’s hands possessively raking down her stomach – fingers pinching at her breasts. The panting mayor felt uncertain for a moment after she came, having been so vulnerable, until Emma came crawling over her to lie between her legs. When she held Emma and wrapped her legs around the strong, confident sheriff, she let out a long-held breath and relaxed. Emma was looking at her like she was the only person who existed in the world. Emma was moaning onto her shoulder and moving soft hands over Regina’s body until she settled completely.

“I … I still … aren’t done … with you …”

Emma chuckled into her ear, a pleasant sound. “And you bug _me_ about my lazy sentence structure …”

“You just fucked me with your tongue,” Regina said a little too hotly for the playful moment it was. “I think I’m allowed to screw up my words.”

“Fuck?” Emma moaned, “Screw? … Who are you and what have you done with little Miss _Language_!”

“Mmm … she’s taken the day off,” Regina moaned, gasping when Emma ground down against her. “Yes … that feels so good ...”

“I … haven’t ever had so much fun with someone,” Emma whispered against Regina’s soft, warm skin. “A lover …”

“Is that what I am?” Regina asked seriously, tracing patterns on her back. “Are we lovers?”

“I … don’t know what to call it. I’ve never felt this way before.”

Regina froze for a moment, realizing Emma meant _as strongly_. She had never felt as strongly before for another person. Was that true? “I see …”

“That doesn’t scare you, does it?” Emma asked, drawing back just enough to look into Regina’s eyes. She couldn’t help but starting a slow rhythm of sliding her body against Regina’s when she noticed the traces of lust still sparkling back at her. “Mmm …”

“No … Not scared. Just … it’s new territory for us both, I think,” Regina breathed back, closing her eyes at the sensation of Emma grinding slowly against her. Trying to pin her hands playfully to no avail that time around. Regina wanted her hands on Emma. She wanted to touch her shoulders, her arms, her breasts …

“New territory?” Emma grinned unapologetically. “You mean the licking pussy part?”

Emma was laughing when Regina gave her a light slap to the face. She laughed even harder when she pinned Regina to the bed for it, surprised by the excitement she had felt with the tease of aggression coming from her petite, feminine lover. _Face slapping? Really, Regina?_

“You are too crass sometimes, you know that?”

But Regina wasn’t upset. She was smiling despite herself.

“You wanna slap me again?” Emma teased, arching a brow but steadying her hips. She was reading Regina’s expression and making clear that she found the act stimulating, to say the least. “Might make things more interesting …”

Regina ignored the excitement pooling between her own legs again, and cleared her throat. “I think we need to clean up. We’re a mess.”

“How is your leg?”

Regina chuckled: “I don’t know. I think my body’s gone numb.”

“Well let’s get you into the bath then, and get some feeling back into those legs.”

“Why does this just seem like a ruse to keep me naked?” Regina teased softly as Emma pulled her up from the bed and helped her over to the ensuite.

They teased and kissed – Regina enjoying the taste of herself on Emma’s tongue much to her own surprise – until Emma had drawn a proper bath. Emma climbed in first, gesturing for Regina to sit in front of her. They sat and leaned against one another while they cleaned themselves, Regina also surprised by just how comforting it was to bathe with Emma. They hadn’t been lovers very long, and yet it felt right, as if they should have been doing it all along. She nibbled at Emma’s fingers as she relaxed against her.

“That feels nice,” Emma smiled, enjoying more than anything that Regina was actually relaxing with her. She was cuddling Regina, and Regina wasn’t fighting the tenderness of the feeling. Regina was allowing it.

“I like your fingers,” Regina mused, holding them in her hand to look at them.

Emma smirked: “And your uh … tongue … is … very talented …”

Regina took in a deep breath with the heated air around them and laid back against Emma with all of her weight reclined. She liked that Emma seemed almost hesitant to compliment her skills as a lover. It made Regina see that her own feelings weren’t silly at all. Perhaps it was normal to be uncertain about things such as pillow talk. “Where else would you like it?”

When Emma tensed, she chuckled.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. I … I just say what’s on my mind, and I turn these moments into something sexual more often than not.”

“It’s … i-it’s okay.”

“Relax,” Regina instructed with that light, feminine touch she always seemed to have. Emma obediently relaxed under her, holding her. “This feels so good … Enjoy it with me.”

Emma slowly brushed her hands down Regina’s sides, under the water, until they traced down between her legs, pleasing her with no hurry or teasing whatsoever. She was touching Regina just to ease her own tension.

“I should invite you over more often,” Regina breathed, the steam and the touching doing wonders for the stress that had been building over the course of the week. “Those hands are magic … excuse the pun.”

Emma smirked at the double entendre and kept touching, finding pleasure in Regina’s pleasure. “… You like it? When I touch you like this?”

“God, yes … don’t stop, please …”

“I won’t,” Emma whispered back, moving her fingers in slow circles until all of Regina’s tension had completely dissolved and they laid together as one in the tub – Emma’s knees propped up and Regina curled in against her. Emma kissed Regina’s shoulder and thought she had never been so lucky. Regina drifted off and knew her life was turning around. Her lonely days were gone.

 


	31. Moms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry lets a small detail slip about the weekend.

 

“Henry?” Emma called, chin jutted out as she looked to the upper floor of her apartment early Friday evening. “Henry, we’re gonna be late.”

“Just wait!” he called back through the door. “I can’t forget Mom’s gift or I won’t have it over the weekend!”

Emma frowned, watching Henry finally descend the stairs with a wrapped gift in-hand. “What? … What gift?”

“Oh, right, she wouldn’t tell you,” Henry sighed, gesturing to his present. “It’s Mom’s birthday in a few days. On Sunday.”

“What?!” Emma gasped, remembering back to the date she had with Regina just the other weekend, and that Regina and her had been far too busy with work during the week to really talk. But still – why hadn’t Regina told her? “She never said anything to me …”

“Yeah, she hates her birthday.”

“Well that’s no excuse!”

Henry laughed: “Try telling _her_ that!” Then he frowned a little: “I don’t think it helped that I used to be really angry with her … before the curse and everything.”

Emma put a hand on his shoulder: “She doesn’t blame you, Kid. It’s complicated for everyone, and she loves you no matter what. Trust me.”

“How do you know?”

“Cause you’re her kid,” Emma said simply, slapping him gently on the back. “Okay, and off we go – on the way I’ve gotta pick something up though. Can’t have you out-shining me, now, can I?”

“Yeah, you could get her flowers,” Henry smiled, hurrying out the door as Emma shooed him to the hall. After Emma locked up, he spoke again: “Or maybe chocolate? She loves chocolate. Really rich milk chocolate I think.”

“You think? Kid, I’m relying on you here!” Emma teased, ruffling his hair.

They joked with one another as they made their way to Emma’s car, where Henry told her Regina always seemed to have the worst luck on her birthday. The day always ended up a nightmare, apparently, although Emma claimed she could fix that tradition with a little help.

As they drove around together, Regina was waiting in her office at home for Henry to arrive – keeping her busy with paperwork to pass the time. It was Friday – two days before her birthday, and she was definitely not looking forward to it. A part of her had wanted to warn Henry against speaking of her birthday to Emma, but a larger part of her wanted to stop controlling everyone. She sighed as she worked, imagining Henry had let her secret out. Fantastic.

A knock at the door later that afternoon saw Regina into the foyer where she welcomed her son and the woman she’d been dating. It was an interesting feeling, faced with both of them at once.

“Henry! … Emma, come in.”

Henry smiled and rushed past Regina to hurry up the stairs, prompting Emma to chuckle: “He’s possibly hiding something he doesn’t want you to see …”

Regina rolled her eyes with feigned annoyance: “He told you.”

“Well, at least someone did,” Emma teased, crossing her arms to feign her own annoyance. “You lose points for not telling me, you know.”

“Oh no. Whatever will I do,” Regina in a flat tone that had Emma laughing.

“Yeah yeah, you know what I mean. You _should_ have told me. So what gives?”

“Honestly … my mother. And no, I’m not up for talking about it.”

Emma sighed, reaching out and patting Regina’s shoulder only to feel the moment of comfort wasn’t enough. She reached out and pulled Regina in to her side, kissing her hair. “I’m sorry … is there something I can do?”

“You could not make a big deal about it,” Regina said quietly against her, making Emma feel her protective nature sweep around them like wildfire.

“Done,” she promised, holding Regina in both her arms when the moment allowed for it.

Henry stopped at the top of the stairs when he caught sight of Emma holding his mother – comforting her.

“Anything else you need?” Emma asked, tucking a strand of Regina’s hair behind her ear. It was a comfort in which Henry had never seen anyone else deliver so carefully to his mother. Emma cared about her sincerely. Did Emma love his mom?

“Maybe just you me and Henry could have dinner together today?” Regina asked hesitantly.

Emma smiled again, giving Regina a little squeeze. “Sure.”

Once Emma noticed Henry standing and watching his mother’s sensitive moment, she smiled, squeezing Regina one more time. She released Regina and called up to Henry. “Hey, Kid? Wanna celebrate tonight with your mom and make a new tradition?”

“A new tradition?” Regina scoffed: “I don’t know, Miss Swan …”

Henry laughed as he clambered down the stairs: “You still call her that, Mom? … Aren’t you dating?”

Emma pulled a face and shrugged as if to say she hadn’t coached him on that.

Regina rolled her eyes. “Alright, well if it’s _my_ birthday, I’m not preparing the meal. So good luck to you, _Emma_. I suggest you have Henry do most of the work lest we all be poisoned.”

“Heyyy!”

Henry couldn’t help but laugh at the pout on his mother’s face.

Emma started to look for recipes with Henry while Regina seated herself at the island and laughed at the chaos that was Emma Swan in a kitchen. It was a gift in itself to watch Emma make the playful smirks upon her many cooking failures. Regina enjoyed watching Emma and Henry figuring things out together, and sometimes making a complete mess of the dish.

Once dinner was announced, Regina walked over to the stove and smiled down at the hilariously runny potatoes and surprisingly edible-looking meatloaf. She gestured to the meat dish and smiled at Henry with his hopeful look.

“This looks very good, Henry,” she smiled, taking his oven mitts to place it in on the granite counter to cool.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“And potatoes can be difficult,” she smiled, trying not to laugh as she remembered back to Emma adding about three times as much milk as she should have. She smirked over her shoulder at Emma and then gave Henry a hug. “But they’re wonderful. Thank you for putting in all this hard work for me.”

“Yeah, happy birthday,” he chuckled, scrunching his nose up. “And … sorry it’s not exactly perfect.”

“Well, I’m just glad you told Emma to stop when you did with that milk.”

Emma decided to chime in at last: “Heyyy! You didn’t say anything!”

Regina couldn’t help but laugh: “I don’t backseat cook, Miss Swan. I was happy to simply sit and watch. Too many cooks in the kitchen and all that.”

“Too many cooks?” Henry asked, earning an explanation of the phrase as they all set out the dinner plates and went to work plating their food. Regina took some carrots out from the fridge and red cherry tomatoes from her garden, and they had a very appetizing meal together.

After dinner, Emma offered to clean the plates so Regina and Henry could spend some time together talking. Emma cleared the plates – bowing and curtseying as if she were some sort of confused princess-servant.

Emma put away the leftovers even though she had always been awful at the cleaning at her own place. At Regina’s place, she wanted to take care of things. She felt a strong motivation to be responsible and to allow Regina some time off her feet. She even did the dishes with a little whistle.

Regina had spoken with Henry about how his relationships at school were going, and had just discovered there was a girl he liked when Emma came walking through to collect stray cups.

“Have you heard this?” Regina asked, gesturing to their son. “About this girl?”

Emma immediately turned and smiled at Henry: “Hey, that a boy. What girl?”

Regina rolled her eyes while Henry blushed: “Vanessa … she’s just a nice girl, that’s all.”

“Ooh, sounds good,” Emma teased, winking at him and then shrugging at Regina when the mayor arched a brow up into her bangs.

“I would like to meet this girl,” Regina said to Henry, trying to make as little of it as she could.

“I don’t even know her really,” he insisted quickly, eyes pleading. “I don’t really see her much.”

“Well,” Emma interrupted, sensing Regina was going to harp on the subject all night if she didn’t do something: “When you finally speak to her, invite her over. We’d love to meet her.”

Henry lit up at the idea. _They_ would love to meet her – not both of his mothers discussing the girl separately. They wanted to meet her as a family. It warmed his heart, even as embarrassing as the very thought was. His moms were just looking out for him, as overprotective as Regina was.

“Yes, I want to meet this Vanessa,” Regina said with her shoulders back and head held high as if she might just smite the girl for tempting Henry to begin dating.

“Whoa whoa,” Emma laughed, juggling five cups in her arms. “We’ll meet her together, and you can _not_ be bad cop.”

“How is it that you’re actually a cop, and I’m the one taking this seriously?”

“Well we can’t both be cops,” Emma whispered as another tease, prompting a phrase from Henry that he’d learned earlier that evening.

“Too many cooks … right?”

They all erupted into laughter that managed to ease the tension.

It was after Emma had finished the dishes that Regina patted Henry lovingly on the back and asked him if he had homework. When he insinuated he might, Emma teased that he shouldn’t have said that.

“Now you’re never going to get to see Vanessa …” Emma smirked, hiding behind a magazine she had been flipping through when Regina reached over, took it and threw it to the other couch.

“You are a horrible influence.”

Emma cracked up along with Henry who stood and shrugged. “I’m gonna finish my reading. But happy birthday, Mom … can I still give you your present on Sunday?”

“Of course,” she smiled, turning back to Emma who was already stealing her magazine back to hold it in front of her face – blocking the glare from one very irritated woman.

He loved his mothers and the support they gave him. He didn’t even mind that Regina tended to overreact to the smaller things in life, because he knew it meant that she cared. There had been a time when his mother had always seemed overbearing, but after Emma had broken the curse and Regina had started to turn her life around, he’d seen a change in her. And Emma had become a more caring parent at Regina’s side – still helping him to feel like a crush on a girl was not the worst thing that could happen. When Henry walked into the foyer, he turned and called back.

“Hey, moms?”

Regina and Emma turned to see him smiling at them.

“Thanks …”

“For what, Henry?” Regina asked, trying to hold back her shock at Henry having referred to them both as his mothers. She knew it was a big moment for Emma.

He shrugged and kept smiling: “For being there for me.”

“Always,” Regina answered, turning back to Emma when Henry walked off, finding the shock on Emma’s face endearing. “Are you going to be alright? Have you had a stroke, Dear?”

“He just said ‘moms’ … right? Did I hear that right?”

Regina smiled at her, tossing the magazine out of Emma’s hands to lean in a little closer. “You act like his mother, and look what happens. He’s calling us ‘moms.’ This is what your responsibility has won.”

“By cleaning dishes?” Emma asked, almost as if she were afraid of Henry’s dependency. But Regina knew she was glad for it. She too enjoyed hearing her son refer to Emma as his other mother. She most certainly was, anyway.

“Don’t be ridiculous. He sees you that way because you love him and care about him. That’s just his way of telling you he sees it.”

Emma’s smile warmed immediately, a derpy grin of contentment on her face that Regina couldn’t help but adore.

“You should smile like that more often, like you’re proud of yourself.” Regina admired: “It suits you.”

Emma kept the look, curled in next to Regina and laid her head in the mayor’s lap with a contented sigh.

Regina stroked Emma’s hair and thought that she very much enjoyed piecing together a family with Henry and Emma. There was no one else she could imagine enjoying family life with, and the more she settled on the decision to include Emma more in their lives, the deeper her smile became. She wanted Emma to be around more. She wanted to kiss her for no reason and have Emma infuriatingly insist on keeping her safe, and have more dinners just the three of them. She wanted Emma to curl up next to her every evening while Henry was off doing homework or playing with his friends. She wanted to enjoy her lazy afternoons with Emma, and she wanted the support of a partner to see her through the rough times, too. She wanted to love Emma.

Interrupting Regina’s thoughts, Emma turned over in her lap and played with the buttons on her shirt. “Hey … do you want anything for your birthday? Because I got you something for Sunday, but it’s kinda dumb, and … if you don’t want anything I’ll understand. Or if you want to just bury yourself in a hole on your birthday, I’ll get it too. Or if you want-”

“Emma,” Regina smiled, taking pity on the beautiful woman at last, realizing just then that she _did_ love Emma Swan. “I’d like to spend the day with you.”

“Really? You mean it?” Emma asked excitedly, suddenly getting onto all fours and kissing hurriedly at Regina’s neck. “You want to?”

“You’re like a puppy!” Regina laughed, lost in a fit of humor as Emma threw her down on the couch to nip and lick at her until Regina couldn’t help but give in. “Alright! Alright alright, I’m sorry!”

“I’m not a puppy?” Emma pouted, teasing Regina with her widely adorable, soft blinking eyes.

The puppy dog eyes made Regina smirk, but she leaned in and kissed Emma all the same. “No, Dear. You’re just an _ordinary _magical saviour.”__

Emma smiled at that.

 


	32. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Regina's birthday. Can the day really be all that bad?

 

Emma hadn’t heard her right. She was certain she hadn’t.

“I’m sorry – I thought I just heard you say you agreed to spend your birthday evening at my parents’ place.”

Regina cleared her throat on the other end of the phone the night before her birthday, sighing. “You … didn’t misunderstand. They don’t know it’s my birthday, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Is this a joke?”

“Miss Swan, my birthday is always miserable. I might as well get this horrid dinner over with as I’m sure the Charmings will come at me with pitchforks and burn me at the stake for dessert. A special birthday treat, I presume-”

“Regina,” Emma interrupted. “I know you don’t want to spend your birthday with my parents. Why didn’t you just tell them it’s your birthday?”

“Emma, just let me do this.”

“Let you make yourself miserable every year on your birthday?”

Regina smiled to herself. “Every year, huh? … Just how long are you planning on staying in my life? We’re talking _years_ already, hmm?”

Emma smiled, too. “Now who’s reading into things?”

Regina chuckled.

“Look, how about … for your next birthday, I get to choose what we do.”

Regina rolled her eyes even though Emma couldn’t see the gesture. “Fine … fine, if you won’t say anything to them about it being my birthday.”

“Deal.”

***

It was the morning of Regina’s birthday when the doorbell rang and she grumbled to herself to wake up and answer the door. It was the installation crew to refinish the floor in her study. At six in the morning on a Sunday. Regina’s face told the story of her frustration, so the lead crew member looked down at his schedule. “It … says you’re expecting us, Ma’am? … You insisted on this time?”

Regina sighed. It must have been Gold that changed it. He always enjoyed tormenting her on her birthday ever since he’d found out the day. She rolled her eyes.

“No. No I specifically asked for _tomorrow_.”

“Well, I’m sorry, Ma’am, but we’re fully booked up tomorrow.”

“How?” Regina scoffed. “You work in this tiny town and you’re telling me you’re booked? Monday morning can _not_ be pique hours for you!”

“We were booked to do some flooring all of next week, actually. All hours, all five weekdays. Sorry, Ma’am. Would you like to schedule us to come another week?”

Yup. Definitely Gold.

Regina grumbled again but opened her door, trying to shield herself with the door from the cold. “Alright … come in, I suppose.”

So in came three workers to start in on the floor of her study, agreeing to move the furniture for an additional cost. Of course, Regina insisted on being there to supervise and at times move things herself so as not to muddle with the flow of the room or break any of her extravagant collectibles. She had pulled her robe closed as she went to re-organize some of her books on the lower level of her shelf, but it still opened to cast itself over her thigh as she crouched down. Her short, lacy silk shorts were on full display as was a sizeable splash of leg, and two of the men were thoroughly distracted by it.

Emma raised a brow at the doorway – having been called and then let in by Henry amidst the chaos. She stood with her arms crossed at the ogling that she saw. Jaw tense at the vulnerable state of undress that Regina was in while strangers were enjoying the sight.

“Back to work, boys,” Emma teased with none of her usual playfulness. She was glaring at them.

The men startled back to the other side of the room, suddenly finding the other furniture very interesting while Regina spoke to Emma without turning her head. She was reaching in the back of her shelf for the book that very nearly got itself stuck at the back panel.

“Miss Swan …? Did Henry alert you already? I thought I’d have more time to deal with this myself.”

Emma stood behind her, wanting to usher Regina to her feet and cover Regina’s legs with her jacket but knowing that was completely unreasonable. Sometimes she really hated her own protective streak, but it wouldn’t subside.

“Regina?”

“What? It’s just movers,” she huffed, finally collecting her book and setting it behind her into the pile.

Emma crouched down beside her, whispering: “Movers who are enjoying the sight of you a little too much for my liking.”

Regina turned to Emma and frowned.

“Yeah, you’re beautiful and sometimes I think you forget that. And I think you forgot to change before you decided to boss them around in that little … sexy get-up.”

Regina tried not to appear surprised, allowing Emma to help her up. Back when she had been queen, she could have punished anyone who gawked at her severely, but there in Storybrooke – having turned over a new leaf – she found it very difficult to deal with such things. She never knew quite what to say, and always preferred not to deal with it at all. “Would you … like some coffee?”

“Yes,” Emma said, walking out with Regina while pinning the workers with a look that told them she was not pleased they’d objectified the mayor. Of course she, at times, did the very same thing, but it was with Regina’s consent.

Once they were in the kitchen, Emma chuckled: “Birthday not off to a great start, huh?”

Regina went to make her coffee, sighing. “Same old, same old. Don’t expect impossible things, Emma. And don’t say I never warned you. I’m sure the worst is yet to come.”

“Who – Mary Margaret?” Emma grinned, “Or David?”

“Oh, most definitely Mary Margaret,” Regina finally laughed back, leaning onto the counter with fatigue to appreciate the woman who had brought a smile to her face even when she was packed with anger and frustration. “Thank you … for coming. I hate that the schedule was thrown, and I … feel myself growing a little tense.”

“Massage?” Emma asked hopefully, just imagining different ways she might touch Regina to relax her.

“Not so fast. I have like three meetings just this morning. I’m afraid this day will get busy quickly.”

“Well, this evening? After my parents’ dinner with us?”

Regina chuckled: “You’re going to leave _with me_ after dinner with your parents? Do you really want to give your mother a heart attack? I’m sure she’s convinced herself we do nothing more than hold hands.”

“I could kiss you in front of her if that would make you feel better?”

Regina laughed, turning to the coffeemaker when it was done brewing, pouring both she and Emma a full cup. “Just keep your phone on. I want to be able to call you if …” _I need you_ “… If my day becomes more difficult than can be managed.”

Emma nodded, trying to keep a smile on Regina’s face: “Of course.”

The day went by for Emma remarkably smooth, checking her phone every ten minutes to be sure Regina was alright. She was happy she hadn’t heard from Regina, in fact, as that meant that everything was fine with Regina’s meetings and calls. It was almost time to pick up Henry from school when Emma realized Regina would have probably called or texted just to check in under normal circumstances. What if something was wrong?

Emma texted, asking if Regina was alright, and received a simple **Everything’s fine** in return. Uh oh.

As soon as she was on break from her paperwork, Emma called her.

“Regina Mills speaking.”

“Yeah, it’s me. What’s going on over there?”

“It’s fine,” Regina sighed. “I had a bit of a problem earlier, but … I’m fine.”

“Anyone that needs arresting?”

Regina wanted to laugh but couldn’t. “I’ll let you know.”

“Regina, talk to me …?”

The pleading tone of voice had Regina easing up a little. Trying to share. “I … had a meeting out to lunch, and when I was coming back, there was this disturbed older couple who heckled me and practically chased me down the street where I narrowly ran right into another man who did not seem entirely pleased with me either. I suppose I had hurt him in the Enchanted Forest, and he … threatened me.”

“Regina! … Holy shit, you weren’t kidding about this birthday thing!”

Regina sighed, the snarky tone back in her voice: “ _Holy shit_ is right.”

Emma’s eyes searched the ground: “Well? Who is this guy? And that couple. This doesn’t sound good.”

“They had their reasons,” Regina sighed. “I just … want this day to be over.”

“Go home. Please, just go home. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“The workers are still there,” Regina whined uncharacteristically, her voice lowering when she sensed her own need for Emma’s comforting touch. “When are you off work?”

“Okay, come over to the station.”

So it was a plan. Emma yawned once she was off the phone with Regina and went back to her paperwork with a smile on her face at the thought of seeing Regina’s beautiful face. She was two more reports in when she went for a bathroom break, coming back to find her father locking Regina in one of the cells.

“What … what the hell is going on?!” Emma almost shouted, storming into the room in absolute shock, looking to Regina’s dejected look for answers. “What …”

“Emma, it’s just temporary,” David sighed, shrugging. “I just have to look some things over. There’s been a huge theft, and Gold showed surveillance footage of Regina taking his things. I’ll look into it, but-”

Emma was still standing mouth agape when she finally found the words to interrupt: “And you believed him?! You think … you think Regina wants to steal Gold’s old shitty pawn shop things?”

David sighed at his daughter’s attitude. “Emma-“

“No!” Emma spat, rushing over to Regina who sat with exhaustion on the cot and simply stared at the birthday girl with longing to make it all better.

“I’ll … I’ll leave you two alone for a minute,” he said, turning to handle the paperwork himself.

Once they were alone, Emma tried at humor to lighten the mood: “This isn’t what I mean by visiting the station, you know?”

Regina put on her best smile, leaning back against the wall of the cell. Closing her eyes. “Yeah. I know.”

“Hey, I’m getting you out of here.”

“Yeah … wouldn’t wanna miss the lovely dinner with the man who just arrested me …”

“Regina, I’m getting you out of here. Gold doesn’t know who he’s up against.”

“Emma, don’t.”

“Don’t?” Emma scoffed. “My girlfriend’s in jail on her birthday and you’re telling me not to get her out?”

Regina was too tired to argue. The day had given her a massive headache, and the jail cell wasn’t so bad after all. She just needed to lie down. By the time she looked over, Emma was already storming out – no doubt to make Gold sorry for whatever he did. Regina sighed and laid to stare at the cool, brick wall. Her eyes drifting closed.

Needless to say, Gold found the tapes to have been fraudulent – who knew? He announced as much to David all the while Emma was glaring daggers into him for his little prank. Gold had never imagined himself to be afraid of anyone, but the saviour was a very powerful figure in Storybrooke, and she didn’t seem to take a liking to his little prankster tradition. She had been so worked up she’d nearly caused an earthquake under his store earlier, and that he simply could not have. So he had given in to her terms.

Emma was storming back into the station to let Regina out while David was in his office, yawning over his desk. He looked down at his work, only picking his head up when he noticed Emma waltzing into his office and throwing the signed confession on his desk. “There. I know he told you over the phone. There’s Gold’s confession. Now she’s free.”

And without waiting for David’s reply, Emma waltzed right across the room to Regina’s cell and unlocked it. She slipped in quietly when she noticed Regina was asleep, leaning over Regina to wake her.

From David’s office, he could hear Regina’s groggy “Emma …?” and some whispering that he couldn’t exactly hear. Thank goodness. And then he saw Emma helping Regina up before they walked out together. David had to hand it to Regina – she had certainly been through the ringer. She looked exhausted and sad, and he couldn’t help but be proud that Emma had fought for her to get her out. Regina Mills deserved a second chance.

Emma drove Regina home and took off early from work to see to it that Regina had a relaxing hour or so until Henry would be done at school. She kissed Regina goodbye as the brunette laid content in the bath, and promised to pick Henry up.

“I’ll meet you at your parents’ place,” Regina sighed, trying not to dwell on the certainly aggravating evening to come.

“You don’t still want to do that …?”

“I do,” Regina sighed again, arching and then relaxing in the heat of her bath only to catch Emma leaning in for another kiss. She met Emma’s lips and curled up in her hot bath. “I’ll see you there.”

“Anything you say,” Emma answered, slipping out of the house.

Emma picked up Henry and beat Regina to her parents’ apartment only to see that they had made shepherd’s pie. _Great_ , she thought to herself. _Regina hates shepherd’s pie_.

Henry was quick to hurry in and help David with the dip for the chips, leaving Emma to speak with Mary Margaret about her budding relationship with Regina. And she thought talking about her past boyfriends had been awkward …

“Look, you can say whatever you want to me,” Emma said halfway through their conversation, putting out her hands. She looked her mother in the eye. “But please … Regina’s had a really hard day.”

“Yeah, David told me. She was arrested because Gold fixed one of his security tapes …?”

“Yeah, that and … well, more. Just please promise me you’ll go easy on her. You and David.” Emma asked sincerely: “Please? I know you've never been on great terms, but this would mean a lot to me.”

Emma so seldom asked Mary Margaret for a favour that her mother couldn’t help but accept.

It was an agreement that just preceded a small knock on the door that Henry became excited about, running over and pulling it open to give his mom a big, crushing hug. He had missed Regina and he himself really liked birthdays. He liked to try and persuade her things weren’t so bad. Then again, he never heard the details of her horrible past.

“Hey Regina,” David tried, making obvious his awkward feelings with a unique expression.

“Regina,” Mary Margaret muttered, not pleased but civil. She had wanted to say that Regina couldn’t hide her secret plans for long, but she kept it all back at the brightened smile on Emma’s face once Regina had entered the room. Emma’s spirits looked to have been lifted with the slight smile Regina sent her across the room.

“Hey,” Emma said simply, stuffing her hands into her back pockets – unable to lessen the wide grin that was growing on her face. Regina just had a way of bringing out the reaction.

“Hi,” Regina answered to everyone at once, giving Henry one last squeeze before Mary Margaret went to get her something to drink and David made himself scarce in the kitchen with Henry. Once left to their own devices, Emma stepped in next to Regina and hugged her just to feel her. She smiled again on contact.

“Hey … I hope you’re doing alright.”

When she pulled back to look at Regina and spotted something was amiss, she pressed for the real answer.

“One of the workers … might have seen me naked.”

“WHAT?!”

Mary Margaret, David, and Henry all looked over after hearing the tone of Emma’s voice only to see her wave them off as if she’d been kidding. Audience neglected, Emma turned back to Regina with shock, whispering: “What the … hell? What’re you talking about?”

Regina tried not to laugh. “I was in my bath and he was measuring the width of the room right above my study, thinking no one was home, when I walked back into my bedroom with only a towel on … and … I’m sure you can imagine how the surprise of the situation might have had me dropping the towel …”

“How have those workers seen more of you today than me?” Emma whispered with some humor, trying to ignore her insanely jealous natural reaction. She knew it wasn’t Regina’s fault.

The smile in response told Emma she had reacted appropriately. It had calmed Regina. Regina remained calm until they had started dinner at the table with the Charmings. Until the dinner conversation began in earnest.

It was David who started things innocently enough, asking if everyone in town knew of Emma and Regina’s relationship. Regina was quick to quip that they had no way of knowing – nor did they wish to find out – if everyone in the entire town was gossiping about them. Emma couldn’t help but chuckle at the topic, declaring that they were no longer keeping it a secret once they realized their feelings, and that Henry’s opinion was really the only one that mattered to them anyway.

Snow seemed a little put off by the comment, Regina saw, but she didn’t respond to it. Instead, she brought up another topic entirely: “So … Henry. Has your … have … has Regina spoken with you about this relationship? Or Emma?”

“My moms?” he asked naturally, glancing over at a very tense-looking Regina. “Yeah, I mean … I don’t think they would be dating if I didn’t think it was okay, but I support them if it makes them happy.”

“That’s very mature of you. And you’re okay with this?” Snow continued, insinuating with her voice alone that it was a less-than-desirable situation.

“Is there a reason you’re interrogating my son?” Regina snapped.

“He’s my grandson, too.” Snow was quick to fire back, trying to keep herself calm: “I just think his feelings and concerns should be acknowledged if you’re going to be … starting anything together.”

“Because I haven’t already done my part to do so? And you - of all people - know what’s best for my son?”

“He’s my grandson!” Snow insisted with anger before Emma broke it all up hands waving.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Emma shouted, settling the crowd. “Mary Margaret … everything’s fine. Henry’s in support of our relationship and he’s not scarred-”

“-Not yet-” Mary Margaret added instinctively, grimacing a bit when the words fell out.

“-And it’s … excuse me?”

Then Regina stood from her seat and glared down the table at Mary Margaret with anger flashing in her eyes: “If you are insinuating that there is something innately wrong about my relationship with Miss Swan …”

“She’s not,” Emma ensured, tossing an angry glance over to her mother and back to the woman she loved. “I think … we’re all just feeling a little heated. That’s all.”

Before Regina even had a chance to try and calm down, David accidentally made everything worse with an aside comment everyone heard: “It’s not like they’re sleeping together …”

Everyone turned to him and he went completely red, realizing what he’d just said. Out loud.

“I … I’m sorry,” he tried. “I just meant that it’s not a big deal! Emma, I’m sorry.”

Mary Margaret seemed to be trying to deduce whether Emma and Regina were, in fact, sleeping together when Regina slammed her napkin on the table and gestured out to her confused son. “Henry, we’re leaving. Say goodbye.”

“If you’re not confusing Henry, then there’s nothing to run from,” Mary Margaret said apologetically, sighing when she realized that she and her husband had been too harsh. Regina was already in her shoes and at the door with Emma close behind when her realization struck.

“Wait!” Emma called, torn between her lover and her parents. Emma looked with sadness to her parents, looking as if she might cry. “Why …? I said don’t talk about it. And if anyone's confusing Henry now, it's you!”

She heard the door close behind Regina and Henry before Mary Margaret spoke: “I didn’t mean to upset anyone, but I can’t help but worry what she’s doing with you, Emma. From my past with her … I’m worried she’s rushing you into something. And I worry if that’s too much for Henry.”

“Hey – she is a wonderful mother,” Emma warned. “I never want to hear you questioning her like that again. And as for Regina and I … I love her. I have loved her for longer than I care to admit to you, and if you must know … _I_ pursued _her_. Alright? So if anyone’s to blame here, it’s me.”

Mary Margaret couldn’t think of what to say before Emma was on her way to the door, too, hearing David call after her: “Emma! Wait – we’re sorry.”

But it was too late. Emma couldn’t let Regina and Henry leave without knowing how she felt. She didn’t agree with her parents. She didn’t feel the way they did about the relationship. She didn’t condone the way they disrespected Henry’s adoptive mother and the woman she loved.

Emma hurried down to the street to see Regina’s car missing, so she hopped in her own and drove.

Regina was driving with Henry on the way home with her emotions in check when she turned to him at a red light. Her voice was worried but she managed to mostly hide its effects. “Henry … are you? Confused about any of this?”

He thought for a moment of how to respond: “You and Emma are honest with me, and while I may not love that you two … wanna kiss and stuff … I know that’s what grown-ups do that when they’re in love.”

Regina didn’t like that. He was growing up too fast. How much did he know about what grown ups did when they were in love? She was so distracted that she missed the light turning green, and Henry had to remind her. She drove on as she asked another tentative question.

“But it doesn’t … bother you? Knowing that I feel that way about Emma?”

“It’s kind of gross,” Henry chuckled, showing the side of himself that was always boyish to his mother. His jokey grin. “But I’m okay, Mom. I’m twelve, not stupid.”

Regina tried to hold back the roll of her eyes or the reminder for him to mind his language, and let him speak.

“I … I always kind of knew what was going on with Graham, but you never spoke about it. But you and Emma are always honest with me, and you don’t treat me like I’m five. So that’s nice.”

Regina though she would have a heart attack. Henry knew what she did with Graham? What?! How?

“Don’t panic, Mom,” he laughed, looking over at the clear look of shock on his mother’s face. “I just saw him sneaking out a few times, and … like I said, I know what grown-ups do.”

Regina replayed the talk she’d had with him once he was old enough to ask such questions, and remembered that he hadn’t learned nearly enough to traumatize him. But did he learn things from the other kids at his school? She was suddenly overwhelmed with worry. She wanted Henry to know she wasn’t doing something immoral or filthy with Emma – and yet she didn’t want him to know at all. Couldn’t he be three years old again and oblivious to the way of the world? She suddenly wished it could all be so easy.

“Mom – it’s green,” Henry smiled, finding great entertainment in his mother’s sudden panic. “And I’m fine. Promise.”

“Henry … I never want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Well, you and Emma just started dating,” he said breezily, looking out his window. “It’s not like you two are …  you know, like Grandpa said. Having sex.”

Regina thought she might have a heart attack. She couldn’t be honest with him, but she certainly couldn't lie! And yet honesty was the one thing he wanted in respect to the strange relationship of his mothers. Regina stopped at a red light and then pulled over to the side of the road with the car in park.

When it was clear Regina was very purposefully not responding, Henry crinkled up his nose. “Eew! Mom!”

Regina knew Emma would have laughed at his innocent reaction, but Regina was mortified. She tried not to panic but it was clutching at her in waves. Her anxiety about scandalizing Henry was ripping her to shreds.

“Henry …”

“You two do it?!” Henry asked, looking like he could either start laughing or wriggle with disgust. When he went with the former, Regina couldn’t help but smile at him. “What?! But you just started dating! _Mom_ – are you gonna be a hypocrite when I start dating?”

“HENRY DANIEL MILLS – YOU ARE _TWELVE_!”

That his mother erupted so seriously only made him laugh harder.

A knock on the car window startled them both, noticing quickly it was Emma. Henry let himself out in front of Emma and scrunched up his face again in accusation: “You and Mom are having sex.”

“Regina? I thought we were going to scandalize him together,” Emma whined jokingly, grabbing Henry to her side to hold him but be stern with him at the same time. “And you, Kid, are _definitely_ not allowed to bug your mom about this, okay. She’s being honest with you because she loves you. I, for one, would have fibbed until at least a few more months in.”

Henry rolled his eyes, and Emma couldn’t help but adore that it was exactly the way Regina would have done it. “But you and Mom-”

“Are grown-ups and are free to make that kind of choice,” Emma corrected, suddenly looking very stern at his insensitivity. “And once you’re our age and supporting yourself independently, you can make that sort of decision too.”

Henry looked down, shrugging.

“Now I know you want total honesty, but there are some things that your mom and I are not going to tell you, alright? Starting with ‘are we having sex’. I mean _really_ , Kid? You cornered your mom on her birthday and asked her if she was having sex? Are you trying to kill her?”

Henry lifted one corner of his mouth in guilt, looking up at his other mother seriously: “I just … I hate being lied to.”

“And no one’s lying,” Emma assured him. “There are just some things you don’t need to know. And there is _nothing_ wrong with affection, alright? I love your mom, and expressing that is natural.”

“… You love Mom?”

Emma realized what she’d just said, and bit her cheek. “Uh … maybe we should get back home. We didn’t exactly eat dinner, and I’m a little tired to be talking out in the street like this.”

“I’ll take the back,” Henry sighed, knowing Emma wouldn’t leave his mom after the strange conversation they had all just shared. He slipped into the backseat and they all drove back in awkward silence until they let themselves into the house.

Emma was the first one to speak, asking if Henry could heat himself some leftovers while she and Regina talked in the living room. Once he left, Emma took Regina in her arms and tried not to laugh as release for the awful day Regina had endured.

“I’m so sorry … about this awful day. You were right.”

“It was almost worth it for that,” Regina whispered back.

“What? Hearing that I was wrong and you were right?”

Regina ignored the tease and instead pulled back to look into Emma’s eyes: “… That you love me.” She stared for a long minute while she saw thoughts cross Emma’s mind in rapid succession. First, Emma was obviously nervous and frightened, but then a sort of surprise and kind trust washed through them, and she finally replied.

“I … do.”

“I gathered that,” Regina smiled.

“Yeah … I’m sorry it had to come out that way. Unintentional, but … I do feel that way. I just didn’t mean to be blurting about it to our son for you to overhear.”

“Not quite the romantic overture you intended?” Regina teased, enjoying the feel of Emma’s arms still wrapped around her. She pulled Emma’s hair off of those strong shoulders, and combed her hands through it before fastening her eyes on Emma’s. Seeing that Emma was staring right back at her.

“No. Not exactly.”

“Oh?”

“If I could do it over again,” Emma whispered, keeping Regina pressed tightly against her, feeling Regina’s beautiful, strong heart beating against hers. “I’d do it like this …”

Regina closed her eyes when she felt Emma closing in with a kiss that pulled them inevitably closer. She wrapped her arms over Emma’s shoulders, and they stood kissing full-bodied until Emma finally pulled back and raced supportive hands over Regina’s back.

“I love you,” Emma whispered. “I love you and I have loved you for a while now … but I didn’t know when to tell you. I guess now is as good a time as any.”

Regina smiled and gave Emma one more innocent kiss and kept close with their foreheads touching. Eyes closed. It gave Regina time to internalize what it meant for Emma to be in love with her, and what it made her ask herself: was she ready to admit she loved her back? What would that mean for them? Regina kept close to Emma as her mind spun out of control until she settled on something that weighed down all of the chaos – it made her _happy_. Emma declaring her love made Regina absolutely happy.

At last, Emma chuckled, breaking the comfortable silence between them: “Let me guess … I don’t get to take you upstairs now that SmartyPants has humiliated you?”

“He’s here, so no,” Regina answered quietly, obviously feeling guilt about her desire to be with Emma on the night of her birthday. Her horrible, horrible birthday. “Another time I suppose.”

“Regina, it’s none of his business what we do together. I know he’s our kid, but he’s already given our relationship his blessing, and he loves seeing you happy.”

Regina finally pulled back and shrugged, trying to flash Emma a smile: “I’m trying to see it that way, but … all I can think is that I’ve really confused him. Him having known I was with Graham all that time ago … I just feel like the worst mother right now …”

“Hey,” Emma cooed, smoothing her hands up Regina’s arms. “Don’t say things like that. You’re the best mother he could ever hope for, alright? And I’m the fucking _saviour_ or whatever, so I know what I’m talking about.”

“Language,” Regina said half-heartedly, sighing when she felt well and truly awful. “I don’t know how to feel … I was so positive about everything, and … I feel like I’ve just lost all of my confidence …”

“Because of Henry?”

“Not because of _him_ but because I’m his _mother_. And first and foremost it’s my job to protect him.”

“From the horrors of lesbian sex?”

Regina gave her a little shove, trying not to smile. “You really are an idiot, you know that?”

“I’m sorry, Regina, I just think that if he’s confused, he’ll look things up on the internet and he’ll be fine. He’ll get over this and when he’s older he’ll understand. He might not understand what’s going on right now, but do you really want him to?”

Regina rolled her eyes: “Will you quit talking about sex for one minute and listen to me?”

“Then what is all this about?”

“ _Intimacy_!” Regina hissed under her breath, crossing her arms across her chest. “Sharing myself with another person in such an intimate way … I’ve always been so independent, and that’s how he knows me. The woman who needs no partner.”

Emma’s smile fell: “Aww, Regina-”

“No, really, Emma. I’m always here and I sacrifice for him – it’s … what I do. And now I’m finding my own happiness, and I’m thinking so much about my _own_ happiness, maybe I’m blinded … I don’t think this will make any sense to him. He’ll think I’ve changed. Like I don't love him as much anymore or ... like I've gone weak somehow. He won’t understand.”

Emma blew the breath out from her cheeks, overwhelmed. She had never thought things could become so complicated all in one day. She took another breath in and traced the backs of Regina’s hands with her thumbs.

“We have your father to thank for this,” Regina teased, sad that she had worried Emma, too.

“Yeah … he doesn’t exactly think everything through before he talks, does he?”

“Emma, I want to take a week or so to feel things out with Henry, and make sure things are okay before we … continue. With our relationship.”

Emma did feel saddened by the prospect of a week from Regina in a romantic sense, but even more she felt the need to take Regina’s sadness away, so she teased her: “Oh no – it’s because I said ‘I love you’ too fast, isn’t it?”

Regina smiled and just refrained from slapping Emma’s shoulder. “Idiot.”

“Man, your birthday is bad luck for me, too,” Emma laughed, holding Regina to her side. She wanted to show her that there was no reason to be afraid when they could make each other feel so light, so happy. And while Regina couldn’t help but smile, the truth remained: Regina didn’t think Henry approved any longer.

They talked for another ten minutes or so, and Emma left.

Once Emma was gone, Regina went up to Henry’s room and knocked on his door. When he finally answered for her to enter, she walked in and sat in his computer chair while he sat pouting in the corner of his bed with his book in his hands. As sharp and mature as he was for his age, Henry was still a boy – but not for long and Regina sighed at that. _Almost a teenager – oh boy._

“Henry?”

He looked up, and Regina saw a mix of confusion and sadness in his eyes.

“Henry, I know you might be confused, Dear, but I just wanted to come in and tell you that … Emma and I are going to take a little break this week, alright?”

He didn’t make any sudden moves or pick his eyes up again. He didn’t trust himself to give his thoughts away. His moms were breaking up? Was it his fault?

“There’s nothing wrong, Henry, and it’s not your fault. We just … we think it’s best if you’re not this upset over our seeing each other. And I think if we have a chance to talk one-on-one this week, you might start feeling better.”

He finally looked up from his book, blinking. Did his mother care so little about herself that with one single pouting fiasco, she stopped seeing the woman who loved her? He didn’t understand.

“Henry? Do you understand?”

“… Yeah.” But he didn’t. He didn’t understand it at all, and suddenly realized he needed to speak with Emma. If his moms were taking a break from each other because of him, then it was of Regina’s choosing. That much he knew.

“Okay, I love you,” Regina said, walking over to kiss him on the head and leave him alone in his room again.

Regina made her way to her room and shut the door, sinking down against it. She didn’t know what to do, and suddenly she felt alone again. It was just like before she had been seeing Emma – being a single parent, having no one to call late at night, drinking alone – except she knew how enjoyable things could be. She sighed because the loneliness hurt more after knowing what the company had given her. She sat curled up on herself, heart aching.

_Bzz bzz bzz … bzz bzz bzz …_

Regina reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone to see the adorable picture she had taken of Emma about a week ago as the display picture for _Sassy Swan_. In the picture, Emma was making a silly face and holding her finger out pointedly toward the camera with blonde bangs tickling those long eyelashes of hers. Regina smiled at the picture on her phone and picked up the call, holding the small device to her ear.

“Yes.”

“Now, that’s no way to answer your phone,” Emma teased, giving herself a good laugh before Regina asked what was on her mind. “I was just thinking that since your birthday is _obviously_ the worst thing that has ever happened to you, I was thinking we should celebrate your birthday properly the day _after_ your birthday. Whaddya say?”

The sentiment had Regina’s eyes brimming with tears, suddenly remembering what she had said just earlier. “But I thought we agreed that-”

“Yeah yeah, I know – just friends,” Emma groaned jokingly. “But seriously, Regina. Someone needs to do this for you. You need someone who will tell you that you deserve to celebrate life, alright? And for God’s sake, you deserve to be selfish that day! You really have to quit agreeing to shitty things you don’t wanna do!”

Regina laughed quietly to herself, almost a whisper.

“And no, you’re not allowed to worry about Henry,” Emma continued. “I’ve got it covered, alright?”

It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her, and it gave Regina a flood of feelings for Emma that she knew they shouldn’t have if they were to be taking a break from romance. But it couldn’t be helped. She could just imagine Emma taking her out for the day and spoiling her. Giving in to her every whim. It made Regina feel like a princess instead of the Evil Queen so many others had made her out to be.

“Emma, I’m not sure I-”

“-If you’re about to say you don’t deserve this, then I will turn into a dragon and Godzilla this freaking town.”

Regina laughed a little louder that time, trying to keep her voice down to keep the conversation to herself. “Emma …”

“I know we’re both hurting right now, but if I don’t spoil you for your birthday, I’ll always regret it.”

Regina sighed.

“You love me. I know.” Emma said jokingly, only just then realizing what she’d said. “AHH! Oh God – no! I didn’t … I didn’t really mean that. I just – _oh shit_. Fuck! Crap!”

Regina was just walking over to her bed when she couldn’t help but laugh at Emma’s ridiculous mistakes that had her muttering accidental curse word after curse word. The nervous snowball effect was endearing.

Regina finally sat on the corner of her own bed, smiling, while Emma was still stuttering apologies.

“Miss Swan, it sounds lovely. Going out tomorrow. And … I count myself very lucky to have a umm … a … friend like you.”

Emma beamed at Regina’s praises.

“Friends who see each other naked?”

Regina snorted, always having enjoyed Emma’s ridiculous sense of humor. “Let's just see how tomorrow goes.”

“Mmm!” she heard teasingly on the other end, laughing again at Emma’s insatiable – and inappropriate – appetite for her. The sounds were music to Regina’s ears and just the silliness she needed on the worst day of the year.

 


	33. Divorced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma announces Regina divorced from her birthday.

 

Emma awoke to the sound of her phone vibrating off her nightstand. She jerked awake at the tumbled device that landed with a _thwack_ on the floor by her bed – shooting upright from her dreams.

“I’m awake!”

She relaxed herself once she realized what had happened, groaning as she felt around for her phone – falling clumsily out of bed.

“Umf!” she groaned again, finally reaching her phone to draw it to her ear. “Henry …? What’s up, Kid?”

“Sorry it’s early,” he said, energized at seven in the morning.

“Hey … yeah, it’s okay. What’s up?”

“I heard you and Mom broke up.”

_Oh brother_. “Is that what your mom told you?”

“Well … she said that you guys weren’t seeing each other for a while or something, and-”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, alright? I’ve got this.” When she sensed that wasn’t the right thing to say, she pulled herself back into bed and curled up under the covers with her phone still held to her ear: “Sorry … did you wanna talk about it? You seem upset.”

“Meet me here? Before Mom gets up?”

“When does she get up?”

“At eight.”

Emma groaned again for effect, stretching: “Fine … Geez, the things I do for you, Kid.”

“Yeah yeah,” he teased back, understanding his mother’s humor well. “Thanks.”

“Be there right away. Oh, and make me some toast.”

Emma laughed her way off the phone, dressed quickly, and grabbed an empty travel mug on her way out the door. She slapped her cheeks to fully wake herself up before driving, and then zipped her way over to Regina’s place to talk to her son.

She had just arrived at the front step when she realized she probably shouldn’t knock and wake Regina, so she sent Henry a text.

**here**

One short word later, and Henry was quietly pulling the door open for her, smiling at her.

They brought some food into the living room – where their voices could mostly be blocked from the partitions that kept the comfortable seating area from the foyer, and the foyer from the stairs and decorative landing.

“I know you’ll tell me the truth,” Henry started suddenly, just as Emma sat down. “So I’m asking you … is Mom breaking up with you because of me?”

Emma nearly choked on her toast. “Jesus, Kid – give a woman a little time to get seated. I was mid-air when you started in on the questions.”

“Sorry.”

Emma chuckled, seeing that Henry was stark serious – his features all cooled by the intensity of his emotions. “It’s okay. And why do you think your mom won’t tell you the truth but I will? Huh?”

Henry shrugged, thinking back to the years Regina had kept him from the truth of her dark past.

Reading into the probability of Henry’s reasoning, Emma reached out to him: “She’s different now. You know that, don’t you?”

He sighed.

“Hey, if it were up to me, I would have made up some white lie about that question you asked her yesterday,” Emma smiled. “Anything you need to know, I’ll tell you, but some stuff, there’s no reason. Do you get that?”

“I … guess.”

Emma took another loud bite of her toast, admiring the thoughtfulness of Henry’s posture. “I’m not sorry I love your mom, but I get that it might be weird for you. I don’t want it to be weird, but it might be, because Regina and I used to kind of hate each other, and you’re not used to us being close.”

“I know.”

“Hey, it’s a little weird for me, too, but I just … I have such strong feelings for her. It’s hard to take a step back, but she’s convinced it’s what _you_ need. After she was needlessly _honest with you_ , even about something she didn’t have to be. Do you get where I’m going with this?”

Henry rolled his eyes: “Yeah, I should feel bad.”

“And why is that?” she teased, prodding him to teach himself the lesson. Amused that he seemingly could.

“Because she’s … a really great mom, and I guess I didn’t believe in her like I should have. Like I want to.”

“See? You’re a smart kid. And she just wants you to be happy – no matter _what_. And if you ask me, that’s pretty special.” Emma reached out and put her hand over his, locking eyes with her intelligent and caring son. “She’s lucky to have you too, Henry. And I want you to know that your opinion matters to me, too, alright? There are just some things you don’t need to worry about.”

Henry looked uncomfortable for a moment, wincing when Emma asked him what was the matter. At last, he came out with it: “Are you gonna sneak in at night and stuff?”

Emma’s brows shot up. “Excuse me …?”

“Like Graham did. I think Mom was trying to protect me.”

Emma couldn’t help but chuckle. “Look, Henry … why don’t we just take things really slowly as a family, and we’ll jump that hurdle when we get there, alright? But as for the sneaking – no. I won’t be sneaking in at night. Man, you have detective possibility. We could actually use you at the station.”

Henry smiled when she ruffled his hair, pulling a humorous face when she realized her hand was all buttery from her toast.

They both laughed, prompting Regina’s sleepy voice from upstairs: “Henry …? Are you okay down there?”

Henry cleared his throat: “Fine, Mom!”

“Are you talking to someone?”

Emma snorted and ducked into the couch – pushing him out to the foyer to imply he shouldn’t give her away so easily.

“Uh …” Henry smirked, trying to hide his grin when Regina padded down the steps to see the strange look on his face. Then she heard stifled giggling from the couch and put a hand on her hip, biting her cheek when she noticed her son’s dirty hair.

“You’ve got _grease_ in your hair?” Regina teased, rubbing her tired eyes. “Henry, you are a very careful boy. How on earth did you manage that?”

“Toast …?”

Regina rolled her eyes – both hands firmly on her hips. “Oh come on, Swan. Now you’re having him lie to cover for you?”

When Emma burst out into the laughter and tumbled off the couch, Henry shrugged and went to run past his mom up the stairs when she called up: “Shower, Mister! I’ll know if the water’s not running! You’re not going to school like that!”

Then she pinned Emma with her pseudo glare: “And you. Not only are you influencing him to lie, but now you’re getting crumbs all over the carpet. Wonderful. And it’s not even eight in the morning.”

“I’m sorry,” Emma chuckled, taking in the sight of Regina Mills fresh from her sleep. The messy hair, the slightly glazed look in her eyes, the warmth and coziness radiating off her … Emma couldn’t help but stare. “You look …”

“Like a worried mother,” Regina corrected, shaking her head at Emma’s shenanigans when the sheriff kept pointed eye contact and nodded.

They shared in small chat until Henry was done with his quick shower and dressed to parade his way into the kitchen to head straight for the fridge. “Hey, Mom, is Emma taking me to school today?”

“Yup,” Emma answered for her, nodding at the boy. “That’s right, because your mom is going back upstairs and back to sleep. It’s her _real_ birthday today – I think she deserves a day that she actually gets to enjoy, don’t you, Henry?”

“Yeah, Mom,” he answered directly to Regina, pouring himself some juice in between sharing glances with his tired mother. “You deserve it.”

“Thank you, Henry.”

“See?” Emma grinned. “Now everyone that matters agrees. Now _you_ can go upstairs and sleep for the next hour or so, and I’ll come to pick you up. Go relax.”

“Telling me what to do?” Regina asked, crossing her arms.

Henry pulled a face and shook his head as if Emma wasn’t aware she needed to backtrack.

“Uh … I meant please,” Emma smirked. “Please go upstairs.”

Once Emma and Henry were alone downstairs, they schemed a plan, and she took him to school.

Emma took the time to get things properly arranged for Regina’s day-after birthday before finally swinging around to Mifflin again. She parked and tucked her phone her pocket only to check it once she was at the door. She knocked and then scrolled to see she had two texts from Regina.

**Could you not wear that outfit for today?**

**Don’t ask.**

Emma chuckled apologetically when Regina pulled the door open to find Emma in the same outfit she had on earlier that morning. Tight jeans fitted to Emma’s legs along with leather boots to her knees and a loose burgundy tank top draped down over her chest and abdomen, showing more cleavage than Regina might have liked. After all, she wasn’t supposed to be staring.

“Sorry,” Emma smiled. “Just got the texts.”

Regina blinked and moved aside, pretending not to notice that Emma also appreciated _her_ outfit – a crisp white blouse tucked into her pencil skirt. “So … just what do you have planned for today?”

Emma smiled wide, excited for Regina’s happiness to follow. “That’s a surprise.”

She ushered Regina to her car, and they drove around town in circles for a while until Emma had deemed that Regina was turned around enough. She smiled at Regina’s sass as they exited the car, and went walking down the street together, side-by-side.

“I now declare you DIVORCED from your birthday!” Emma announced to only herself and Regina as they walked peacefully down the street. Regina dressed in her usual, immaculate outfit with her gloved hands in her coat pocket. Emma walked along beside her dressed in her typical jeans and a Christmas sweater she kept in her car for such cool weather tucked under her jacket. “And now we may move on to bigger and better things.”

Regina smiled but was feeling even more uncertain of the day after she had been up late the night before, worrying. Her relationship with Emma was not under established rules, and that made Regina nervous, but Emma’s over-the-top optimism brightened her mood considerably.

“Yes,” Regina said at last. “Better things.”

“Oh, hey – just what I wanted,” Emma said, gesturing over to a shop at Regina’s side: Marcelle’s Crepes. Regina’s lips turned up into a flattered smile, wondering just what on earth Emma had in store for her if the day was starting off with a breakfast of crepes. Emma was not generally known for her extravagance, but Regina started to worry that the day would leave her feeling hopelessly romantic.

That feeling of concern was gone by the time they were done their crepes and out walking again, much to Regina’s delight. They were simply enjoying one another’s company, and Emma was making her laugh.

“It felt like I was Batman or something,” Emma laughed along with her, taking great pleasure in Regina’s inevitable eye-roll. “What?! I grew up in a place and time where magic was ridiculous. What was I supposed to feel walking into this whole saviour thing? I was super magical!”

“Batman only wishes he was the saviour,” Regina muttered, smirking to herself when she noticed Emma’s posture straighten in pride. “What I’m saying, you idiot, is that you don’t need to compare yourself to men in tights. You are a hero of your own regard.”

“I think it sounds like someone has a thing for the saviour …”

Regina laughed, not having even noticed they were headed anywhere until Emma pointed up ahead: “Look – right over there? We’re going to make something to take home.”

“That place with a big paintbrush sign?” Regina wondered aloud, following Emma to the boutique as they let themselves in and Regina realized they were painting a ceramic dish to fire in the a kiln. “Ah huh … so for my birthday, you’d like me to make my own gift. Do I have that right?”

Emma secretly enjoyed Regina’s sass, but the woman behind the counter looked afraid of the exchange – as if she hadn’t remembered that the Evil Queen was no more. She simply stared at Regina in apology as Emma turned to the brunette and put a hand on the mayor’s shoulder.

“You’ll love it, alright? Do you trust me?”

“This is an awfully interesting thing to use the trust card toward,” Regina mumbled, smiling once Emma turned her back to pick out her own dish.

They chose dishes, colors for paint, and then sat together at a small yet very high round table with tiny paintbrushes and pre-made plates. Regina grinned up at Emma, dipping her paintbrush in a color that was supposed to be magenta.

“If this bores me, I’m painting a big X in the middle of your plate.”

Emma chuckled and shrugged: “Go ahead. I’ll just draw two Os on each side.”

“My my, aren’t we full of optimism today,” Regina teased again, for some reason trying to bring out the darker, feistier side of herself. She didn’t want to see it was because she couldn’t stand being doted on so affectionately.

Thankfully, Emma saw right through her, but she opted not to point it out. Instead, she paused and looked directly into Regina’s eyes: “I just wanna show you that you’re worth celebrating.”

Regina cleared her throat and started painting her own dish, purposefully ignoring the way Emma made her feel when she looked at her that way. When she teased Regina with the way her fingers moved during tedious tasks. Regina had always enjoyed watching Emma work on anything with great detail, and Emma most certainly knew it. It was probably why she’d chosen the activity, Regina thought with the best scowl she could manage. The more she tried working on her own plate, the more Emma would focus in on her task and make obvious that her fingers were strong and able. And her hands … the way she spun the heavy plate in one hand, balancing it on the tips of her fingers as if it were weightless …

“Stop it!” Regina snapped when she couldn’t take it anymore, blurting it out as if she were angry.

Emma looked up at her, confused. “… What? What am I doing?”

“Oh very funny.”

But when Emma blinked up at her, Regina realized it had all been in her head. Emma hadn’t _meant_ to arouse her. She simply _was_ aroused by watching Emma. She had been staring. Quickly, Regina glanced all around to see that thankfully no one had caught her – owner of the shop likely cowering in the back somewhere.

Regina suddenly smiled, willing Emma to drop the subject: “Nothing. I thought you were kicking the table.”

“Uh huh.”

Regina cursed to herself as she worked then, actively ignoring the way Emma wielded the plate in her hands, definitely not imagining the way Emma could lift her in those capable arms. Emma had always been so strong, and even magical, and Regina had trouble keeping the idea from her mind. She wondered if Emma could lift her – hold her up.

Once Emma was finished, Regina resigned to the relatively simple design of a feather she’d painted into the middle of the dish. Emma admired it, asking what Regina liked about the image, and smiled when Regina stuttered out that it signified hope.

After the plates were given back to the woman at the front counter to put through her kiln for later pick-up, Emma insisted on paying and led Regina back to the car.

She took Regina out to lunch, relaxing the mayor in a lovely little deli shop that had a bright window on its side. Emma shared how she liked to eat there when she was too busy at work to head down to Granny’s, and introduced Regina to Mr. Argis the Butcher. The older bearded man had shaken Regina’s hand despite his own biases about her. Anyone that was alright by Emma was alright by him, and he said as much. Regina immediately liked his sincerity and full-bellied laughter, just as Mr. Argis had taken a real liking to her honest eyes and soulful silences.

“Hey Argis, you give her my discount if she stops by some time, will you?” Emma smiled after having paid, slipping her wallet back into her jacket pocket.

“ _If_ she stops by,” he said in a way that told Regina he knew not to expect her again. But she made a mental note to prove him wrong. She had really enjoyed his quaint shop and the admired the man behind the counter.

“ _If_?” Regina teased to him directly. “Are you worried I don’t know a good sandwich when I have one?”

“I don’t know … the mayor stoppin’ in here …” he insinuated jokingly, sizing her up in all of her petite, ferocious glory.

“I do as I like – mayor or not,” she teased right back, earning another one of his jostling laughs.

“Hey, keep this one, will ya?” he laughed to Emma, tending to some of his produce behind the counter before Emma had time to correct that she and Regina were only friends. She looked sheepishly to Regina who seemed to be glad they had let that one slide, and they walked out together.

The next place took Regina completely by surprise. It was a clothing store.

“Now before you sass me about this one,” Emma said, getting out of the car to stand with Regina. “We’re here because you like to shop, and this day is all about you.”

“I’m not usually accompanied,” Regina teased.

Emma surprised her with a shove to her own shoulder. “You’d better make it up to me for implying that this would be more fun if I screwed off.”

“I said no such thing!” Regina laughed, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew Emma was right. She certainly has a rude chip on her shoulder. “Alright … you get to pick one of my outfits. Okay?”

After Emma implied that would be a sound compromise, they walked in together – Emma holding the door open for her to walk through. Regina breathed in the scent of new clothing and beamed. The shop was one of her favorites, and the woman behind the counter ran over when she saw Regina enter.

“Oh my God – _Reg_!” the woman gushed, hurrying over and coming up to hug the usually stoic mayor. But there in the shop, Regina seemed to soften, hugging the smaller woman back.

“Natalie,” Regina smiled, gesturing back to Emma. “This is-”

“Yeah, the sheriff,” Natalie nodded, offering out a simple hand to Emma to shake.

Emma wanted to laugh – what on earth was with Natalie? Was it some sort of women-and-clothing thing? Were they best friends? But then as Emma watched Natalie beaming at Regina, her jealous streak kicked in. Seeing as she had always had to tame it around Regina before, hiding it was second-nature. She simply crossed her arms, intimidating the petite brunette shop worker quite by accident.

“Do you … do you want some help?” Natalie asked Regina, tossing a glance to Emma and then linking her arm with Regina’s in a perfectly friendly manner, whispering: “Is she your body guard now?”

Regina laughed, patting Natalie’s arm before releasing it and looking up to the walls of clothes. When Regina looked back down to her clothing-helper-turned-friend, she smiled. “No, she’s a very dear friend in fact. And Miss Swan is helping me to celebrate my life, as she put it.”

“Ooh!” Natalie squealed: “Then I have just the perfect thing for you! Let me go get it!”

Regina turned back to see the very unimpressed look on Emma’s face, finding great humor in the sheriff’s insecurity around the much younger Natalie. “You can’t possibly be jealous,” Regina whispered, trying to keep from laughing outright. Regina had never seen Emma so stoic or still. It made her want to reach out and relax her _dear friend_ , but she quickly reminded herself that friends didn’t hold each other. Not the way she wanted to hold Emma …

“Behave,” Regina teased, insinuating Emma would do anything to harm poor Natalie for the girl’s overly affectionate manner. “I need her alive to help me order new pieces for my wardrobe.”

Emma smiled at the morbid joke, already uncertain as to how she would go about her day as if she didn’t want to kiss Regina. It was a feat only made more difficult by the way Regina seemed to need the physical intimacy.

“Ooh! It’s the perfect dress for you!” Natalie giggled, hurrying out from the back with a skip in her step. “I’ve saved it for you! I was actually expecting you in yesterday, but you never showed.”

“Something came up,” Regina sighed, obviously not wanting to admit it had been her horrible, rotten birthday. She looked to the dress in Natalie’s hands and clasped her hands together. “Wonderful – I’ll try it on.”

Natalie showed Regina into her room while Emma stayed behind, her fingers seeking the ludicrous prices of the shirts until she overheard Regina in the dressing rooms. “It won’t do up.”

All-too-quickly, Natalie hurried to her door. “Coming!”

Emma rolled her eyes. _Jesus_. Could the girl be any more obvious?

Despite her desire to not show the jealousy she felt, Emma found herself roaming toward the change rooms in the back. She sat and waited on a bench by the mirrors as she listened to the painstakingly flirty conversation from within Regina’s dressing room.

“Wow – it looks so beautiful on you!”

Then Regina’s voice, humble and soft: “It fits nicely. I like it.”

“If we just … yeah, there. See?”

“I didn’t even know the dress did that,” Regina mused, confusing Emma. Did what? What was the dress doing? More importantly, what was Natalie still doing in there?

“Thank you, Natalie,” Regina said kindly just before Natalie slipped out – spotting Emma glaring at her and scampering off to the front of the store again to check for customers.

When Regina finally opened the door to her dressing room, she gasped – she hadn’t figured Emma would be there waiting for her. And that snarl … Regina had to smile. “Emma … I didn’t know you’d be waiting.”

“I bet your precious Natalie didn’t either,” Emma pouted, earning a little cooing from Regina who walked over in her stunning dress and sat perched on Emma’s knee. Regina touched her cheek, but didn’t let herself kiss the pout off Emma’s face. _That_ might be pushing their supposed friendship a little too far. She just adored Emma in silence.

“Don’t worry about Natalie. But thank you … for not storming in in some sort of jealous rage.”

“I’m not jealous.”

The insistence was endearing. “Mmm hmm. So you wouldn’t like to insist on helping me in there yourself?”

Immediately Emma looked up with relief in her eyes – would Regina really allow for that if they were just friends? Should she even agree? Well, she certainly shouldn’t be staring at the mayor’s cleavage in that low-cut dress …

“At least you and Natalie have similar taste,” Regina snickered playfully, standing from Emma’s knee to waltz over to her room.

“I … don’t know if it’s a good idea to help you in there,” Emma admitted when she found herself mesmerised by the feminine sway of Regina’s perfect hips. “To stay … you know. Friends.”

“Suit yourself,” Regina chuckled, calling out instead: “I need some help getting out of the dress!”

Almost before Regina had finished her sentence, Natalie was there at her side – all-too-willing to help Regina help her out of her clothes.

“No problem,” Natalie beamed, gesturing to Regina’s dressing room when an arm suddenly cut out in front of her, and Emma took up the doorway in a strange turn of events. Natalie looked up at the sheriff and nervously cleared her throat.

“I’ll be helping the mayor for today,” Emma said with finality, watching Natalie raise her hands in mock surrender and scurry off.

The moment Emma slipped into the dressing room and closed the door, she saw Regina grinning at her. “So. Still _not_ jealous?”

“Now I definitely understand why you come here so much,” Emma teased right back, stunning Regina into silence. “Little Miss Can’t-wait-to-undress-you sure is helpful …”

“It’s not my fault the salesperson here is friendly.”

Emma chuckled to herself as Regina turned around: “It might be your body’s …”

“What was that, Miss Swan?”

“Nothing! … Nothing at all. So where is the zipper on this thing?”

“It’s on the left … right here – do you see it?”

Emma looked over Regina’s shoulder in the mirror, watching the way Regina held up her shoulder-length hair so as not to catch it in the zipper. She looked at the beautiful image they made there together and smiled. If only Regina would allow herself to be cared for and supported, they could have it all.

“It’s not rocket science,” Regina teased her at the feel of Emma’s distracted hands. “Or do I need to get Natalie back in here?”

Then Regina felt Emma’s hips against her backside, and gasped as the zipper was slowly but surely pulled down her back. The backs of Emma’s knuckles traced down underneath the material to keep her back safe, and the very gesture alone had Regina weak in the knees. Emma’s touch had always had a very powerful effect on her.

“Go ahead,” Emma whispered, withdrawing her hands and her hips to step back with her hand on the door. “But something tells me you’ll call for me again anyway … even if my hands take their time.”

_Damn_.

Regina swallowed hard once Emma had left her to undress, changing into another outfit Natalie had left for her that was a dark red pencil skirt and cream-colored chiffon shirt with a sweetheart neckline. When Regina stepped out of the dressing room, she walked with an air of confidence and maturity that Emma had subconsciously fallen for years ago. And there Regina was dressed in perfect, form-fitting attire, standing there waiting for her opinion. When Regina asked for it outright, Emma balked.

“What opinion? … You’re gorgeous in anything. It’s fact, if you ask me.”

“That’s your opinion,” Regina sighed with a smile, turning to check herself out in the tall mirrors. “Remind me to educate you on opinion and fact later.”

Emma was in a daze, muttering to herself again: “Anything you want …”

Regina pretended not to notice Emma’s eyes raking all over her body as she twisted and turned to surmise if she wanted to buy the outfit. But when Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat, Regina had made up her mind.

“Natalie! I’ll take it.”

 


	34. Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birthday celebration continues.

 

“Did you really have to wear that out of the store?” Emma teased, looking over at the beautiful confidence in the mayor’s stride. After having tried on some scantily-clad suggestions from Emma and giggling at the very idea of walking around town in them, they had left the clothing shop. In her new outfit – the cream blouse and red pencil skirt Emma had first admired – Regina Mills was utterly confident. She knew she was wanted, and Regina was always most beautiful when she allowed herself to be confident. When Regina had been lost in the past, it had crushed Emma to no end.

“Alright, you’ve fed me, painted with me, and shopped with me,” Regina laughed. “It must be time to get Henry from school by now.”

Emma checked her thick watch and smiled. “You’re not supposed to be worrying about your responsibilities, and we’re not quite done yet. There’s one thing left to do first.”

“Oh, is that right?” Regina laughed, walking alongside Emma down a vacated path that had her feeling more comfortable. Many people in town likely did not know about their relationship – whatever it was – and she enjoyed time with Emma on their own the most. They both did.

“Yeah, but you’ve gotta trust me.”

“No sitting out in the forest though, right? Because I just bought this outfit.”

Emma let out a short laugh, placing her hand as innocently as she could between Regina’s shoulders as a sign of friendship until she felt electricity from the simple touch. She withdrew her hand just to be safe and motioned up ahead. “It’s just up there.”

“What, a hill?”

Emma felt herself rolling her eyes. “Yeah, Regina. I brought you here to just stand on a hill. I’m a genius like that. No, it’s what’s on the other side.”

“That tiny strip mall?” Regina voiced with confusion, finding herself with a desire to hold Emma’s hand. It was confusing to need space and need Emma closer all at once. _Friends_ , Regina kept reminding herself. _Friends_.

“Yeah, there’s a little dance studio over there.”

The stunned expression rushed to Regina’s eyes first and slowly settled down to her lips, eventually freezing her still. “… Dance?”

Did Regina hate dance? Fear it? Suddenly Emma tensed up, too, wondering if she had just put a wrench into the whole relaxing state of the day.

“I just … I used to love dancing as a child,” Regina stuttered nervously. “I haven’t really … seriously danced in a long time.”

“I thought it might be a nice release for you,” Emma said courteously, slipping her hand around Regina softly, as if all she wanted in the world was to hug her. “And it doesn’t have to be serious, if that’s what worries you. I was told they do salsa and ballroom but even lyrical and contemporary stuff …”

“Lyrical?”

Emma shrugged. “I dunno. I always imagined you’d be good at solo dance. Your face is so … expressive. And you’re … I dunno … fit …? I brought some clothes Henry said you like to work out in if you wanna go …”

Regina smiled and hugged Emma with all of her might, squeezing her. “Thank you, Emma … this means a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome,” Emma smiled, eyes closed. Having Regina thank her so sincerely had her heart racing like nothing else. She had made Regina truly happy. “You want to give that lyrical thing a try? Seeing as you probably already know everything else? … I can give you some space and pick up Henry?”

Regina squeezed her a little tighter before letting go and then just squeezing Emma’s hands. “You’ve been so good to me … thank you. Today has really been incredible. And I have you to thank for it.”

“The day’s not over yet,” Emma answered in a way so loving that Regina couldn’t help herself. She closed the space between herself and Emma, angled herself up to draw close, and kissed her.

Regina’s lips were softer than they had been before on hers – they were telling Emma she missed her. They were telling Emma that she didn’t want it to be their last – she was just a woman in need of some repair. True intimacy was complicated for Regina.

After a long, beautiful kiss, Regina pulled back and Emma blinked in surprise.

“Is … that how you thank all your friends?” Her lips were still tingling.

Regina took her hand in place of returning her tease, and started them toward the dance studio once again. “We’re close friends, though … don’t you think? Special friends … maybe even unique?”

The glow in Emma’s cheeks brightened when she recalled speaking about them exactly that way before. “Yes, I believe that’s true.”

Emma’s ego swelled immediately, walking a little taller all the way to the studio. She settled Regina’s hour-long lesson and held back from kissing her again.

All the way to Henry’s school, all Emma could do was think about Regina and the smile she’d last seen on those painted lips. Regina was so beautiful when she was happy. Well, she was always beautiful …

Emma went to get a coffee, took a walk, and parked outside of Henry’s school waiting for him to run over all the while thinking about Regina’s beautiful smile.

“You need to stop making lovey eyes about my mom,” Henry teased, walking around the car – completely startling Emma out of her reverie.

“Hey,” she chuckled back. “Cut out the sass or you’re walkin’ home, Kid.”

“I thought we were going shopping – don’t you kinda need me there? For dinner?”

“Smart guy – now you get to carry everything at the store.”

“What? Why can’t we use a cart?”

“It’s a dollar for a cart. I don’t have any change.”

“Nooo! I’m carrying _everything_?”

Emma laughed: “Should’a thought of that before you sassed me, Kid.”

Then again, Emma knew it wasn’t solely Henry to blame – he _had_ grown up with Regina after all.

So they walked around the grocery store, picking out interesting foods they both thought Regina had never tried before, throwing in some treats for themselves.

In the end, they had bought entirely too much for one meal, but they were very happy with their purchases – Emma dropping Henry back at home to put everything out on the counter while Emma herself went to pick Regina up from her dance lesson.

Emma had stepped into the dance studio and waited at the front for Regina who appeared in her work out clothes – hair combed back into an adorably messy ponytail and skin shining with a thin sheet of sweat that reminded Emma entirely too much of their last heated session together.

Regina was still panting when she walked right up to Emma, took the keys out of her hands, and chuckled all the way to the door.

Awkwardly smiling at one of the instructors, Emma pulled a face and shook herself from the trance: “Well … that’s uh … my ride.”

“Yeah,” the woman snickered, gesturing out the door. “And you’d better catch her before she takes off without you.”

“Right …”

Emma hurried out the door and slipped in on the passenger side when she realized Regina had decided to drive.

“I haven’t felt this … _alive_ … in a long time,” Regina gushed, almost more to herself than Emma. She adjusted the mirrors and her seat, and started the car. “I had so much fun.” When she finally ventured a look over to Emma, she smiled at her. “Thanks again. This has been … a really wonderful belated birthday.”

“You’re welcome. I’ve had fun too, planning a true day of celebration for you.”

They drove in happy silence to the house, where Henry was waiting with an excited grin for the surprise dinner of taste testing to start. He told Regina he was almost ready, and suggested for his moms to wait in the dining room.

Once Emma led Regina to the table, she stood behind her and covered her eyes with a length of fabric that had Regina confused and feeling – yet again – feisty. In a low, simmered tone, Regina spoke only to Emma who stood closely behind her.

“If you’re really going to break the rules, Miss Swan, you might want to try this later,” Regina smirked, feeling Emma tie the blindfold at the back of her head. “When our son isn’t in the next room …?”

Emma finished tying it, and in place of any verbal teases, she simply leaned down with her lips next to Regina’s ears and moaned quietly.

Regina sat rigidly straight, alert.

Emma smiled at her small success, and let Regina know Henry was on his way.

Henry set to explaining their plan straight away, thankfully distracting Regina from the memory of Emma so close to her, electrifying her skin and breathing into her ear. Regina listened with a smile as she was told she would be able to try countless items and be made to guess what they were. It had been Henry’s idea, and he apparently had chosen the hardest items.

“If either of you feed me peaches-”

“No, we won’t,” Henry assured her, causing Emma to quirk her brows.

“What’s up with peaches? Peaches are great.”

Regina scoffed: “When you’re not allergic to them, maybe.”

Emma was completely surprised. She had never even heard of Regina being allergic to anything. Was she allergic to anything else? How serious was her allergy? But Henry continued on while Emma’s mind ran rampant with worry.

“Don’t worry, Mom,” he said with a big smile. “I checked the ingredients and you’ll be fine.”

“I trust you, Henry,” she said calmly, flooring Emma. Regina was trusting a twelve-year-old boy not to feed her the food she was allergic to? And Regina was blindfolded to boot? Suddenly the fun activity was seeming more like a dangerous gamble. “So? What’s first? Or do I get to decay from old age before the game starts?”

Emma rolled her eyes, gesturing to one of the small jars: “Me first. Hand it over – she deserves this.”

Regina heard things being moved on the table, moving her head and yet still completely blind. “Emma …? What’re you doing?”

“That’s for you to find out,” Emma smiled, trying not to laugh at the fact that Henry had told Emma his mom hated jam. Regina never liked the store-bought kind, and he didn’t think she’d tried any after her one blueberry jam fiasco. It had been so sweet she’d rinsed out her mouth and banished jam from the house. Emma was grinning with delight as she took a small amount on the spoon and brought it close in to Regina’s lips. “Okay … you have to guess what this is, remember.”

Regina opened her mouth and Emma almost faltered at how willing Regina was to play. Emma fed her the small amount of strawberry jam, watching Regina’s face scrunch up unpleasantly but not distractingly so. She was focused. She was thinking.

“… Strawberry jam of all things?”

Henry laughed, going for one of his choices. “Okay … we picked like a hundred things, but we don’t want you to get sick on your kind-of-birthday, so … how about Emma and I pick five things each for you to try before we make supper together and … maybe Emma can try the game another day?”

Regina cackled with exaggeration, clasping her hands together to live up the role of villain in their little game. “ _That_ , dear Henry, is fine by me.”

“Traitor!” Emma whispered to him jokingly, already setting aside something else for Regina to try.

Henry was kinder with his first choice, going for something that might not startle Regina’s palate so much. He went to vanilla wafers, putting one in her hand for her to feel and then try. She made another face at the processed feel of the thing, and then took a very small, tentative bite.

Emma couldn’t help but admire Regina’s dedication to the game even though they had not picked the healthiest foods for her to try.

“Is this … some kind of cookie?”

“Close,” Henry smiled, crinkling the wrapping as a hint.

“Some … horrendously sweet cracker?”

“I can’t believe you haven’t ever had these before,” Emma chuckled, taking it from Regina’s hand to eat the rest herself. She hummed pleasantly, and Regina scoffed.

“That’s disgusting. That tasted like pure sugar condensed into sheet form.”

Henry interrupted with another laugh: “It was a vanilla wafer, Mom.”

“Yeah,” Emma whined: “You’re acting like we made you eat _dirt_. I happen to like these things.”

“Next,” Regina grinned, wishing she could swat Emma off her table, but she didn’t want to let on how much she could sense around her with the blindfold fixed over her eyes. She had a feeling that playing dumb would further her in the future – not that she imagined she might try something like that with Emma …

“Okay, next,” Emma smiled, lifting two little bags for Henry to choose. They both laughed and Regina groaned.

“Must this be so torturous?”

“Ah, a little torture on your birthday is good,” Emma chuckled, lifting a small piece of beef jerky out of the bag, very slowly holding it up to Regina’s lips but not forcing her to try it before she was ready. As much as she liked to bug the pristine mayor about her taste in foods, she didn’t want to truly offend her. “Go on, take a bite.”

Regina nearly bit Emma’s finger – obviously lunging when Emma squealed out a playfully girlish scream and dropped the jerky in Regina’s lap. She held her hands to her chest in mock horror while Henry laughed at the exchange.

“There,” Regina grinned, taking the morsel of food from her own lap and bringing it to her lips. “I am _perfectly_ capable of feeding myself. You’d do well to remember that, Swan.”

Henry mouthed ‘Oooh’ and Emma just pretended to throw a bag of jellybeans at him.

Trying to remain oblivious to all of the moving around her, Regina chewed unpleasantly on the piece of snack, wondering aloud: “Is this … some sort of … meat?”

“What kind?” Henry fired back.

“ _Bad_ meat?” Regina teased, and then it was Emma’s turn to laugh. Henry had thought his mother wouldn’t mind it, and Emma found great entertainment in Regina’s real reaction. “You two are awful,” Regina laughed, finally spitting it out of her mouth. “What on earth did I just put in my mouth? It’s tough and salty and … and chewy!”

“It’s beef jerky,” Henry answered, offering to get his mom some water from the kitchen.

“Make it two please!” Emma called out, raising her brows when Regina reached out clumsily for her and pulled her in. Emma almost tripped over her own two feet until Regina had pulled her down to speak directly to her face.

“I am going to get my revenge,” Regina teased, imagining Miss Swan didn’t much like unusual and bitter raw vegetables. She was already grinning at the scheme in mind when she heard Henry pouring their waters.

“Can you put ice in mine?” Emma smirked, watching up-close as Regina sat there blindfolded for another enjoyable moment. If she could, she would have watched Regina sitting there all night. There was something so stubborn about Regina that she liked. There was a resistance to any submissive act that aroused Emma.

“If you put something that disgusting in my mouth again,” Regina said, biting back her smirk as she felt Emma’s breath on her cheek. “I will be more … careful with what else it does for the foreseeable future.”

Emma chuckled: “That might bother me if we weren’t just friends, remember?” But the unchanging expression on Regina’s face had her re-thinking her next choice anyway. Just in case.

The two women pulled apart when the ice had clinked into glasses, denoting that Henry was on his way back. Emma insinuated it was his turn to choose something for Regina to try.

Henry put a jellybean in his mother’s hand to try, and then Emma went with Cheetos. They took turns until they had each chosen five items for her to taste. While she was sitting and preparing herself for more disgusting junk food, however, she felt Emma’s fingers untying the knot in the blindfold at the back of her head.

“Close your eyes,” Emma instructed, slipping the blindfold off to smile at the way Regina winced even through her shut eyes at the sudden change of light.

“Sorry we fed you gross stuff, Mom,” Henry admitted, holding out her water when she finally opened her eyes. “It was fun though, right?”

“Yes, and I can’t wait until your other mother tries it, too.” Regina smiled, feeling it wouldn’t have been right to refer to Emma as _Miss Swan_ like she might have around others. Emma was too close for that, and they all knew it. “It’ll be so much fun, Dear. Believe me.”

Emma drank some water herself, and suggested they all make a healthy stir fry to make up for all the processed food they’d made Regina try.

She and Henry prepared broccoli, carrots, and snap peas to Regina’s specifications, throwing in bean sprouts at the birthday girl’s request. Emma set the table, and the three of them ate happily at the dining room table, sharing the events of their day.

Emma felt it to be surreal, how natural it all felt. It was as if they ate that way every day, smiling at each other from across the table.

“And I have really hard spelling words this week,” Henry added, snapping Emma out of her trance, staring at Regina.

“Do you need help practicing?” Regina asked, quicker than Emma’s offer for help. It only made Emma love her more, that Regina was always willing to be there for her son. _Their_ son.

“No, I have a couple worksheets to do my teacher said are good to use for practice,” he shrugged, obviously not happy about extra homework. “But if I get all the challenge words, I’ll be the best speller in my class!”

“Way to go, Kid,” Emma smiled, jutting her fork out toward him. “You … are a smart cookie. Hey, speaking of which, don’t you have cookies somewhere? I want dessert.”

Regina almost laughed at the ridiculous pout on Emma’s face. The way the corners of the sheriff’s mouth turned down were so exaggerated it was endearing. Cute, even. “No, _Sheriff_ , you may not have cookies after dinner.”

They all laughed at the tease, especially when Emma crossed her arms for effect.

Regina was still chuckling at Emma’s childish enjoyment of candy after dinner, when she was setting all the dishes into the sink. Henry had gone upstairs to do his homework, and Emma was close behind her, helping with dishes. Very close behind.

“Do I get … anything for dessert?” Emma was teasing from directly behind her, moving one of the plates into the sink around Regina so she could press a little closer. The vibration of Emma’s voice against her was painstakingly sensual.

Regina cleared her throat: “Emma …” Regina could feel her body reacting and remembering how talented a lover Emma Swan was. She had to lean onto the counter to keep from leaning back against Emma’s chest, falling into strong arms.

“Like … you know. Ice cream?”

Regina growled, and Emma chuckled as she helped Regina to finish cleaning. She enjoyed teasing Regina, working her way back into a romantic relationship with the beautiful mayor. She understood how concerned Regina was about their son amidst all of the changes, but Emma wanted to show her it was perfectly natural to want to be happy. It was only natural to want to feel good – a thought which had Emma pressing in behind Regina one more time to hum into her ear: “If only you could let me touch you … But I don’t touch my friends …”

“Emma,” Regina pleaded, her voice weak. “Stop … please.”

Emma pulled back from behind her and turned Regina with an easy tug on the woman’s elbow. “Talk to me.”

Regina hated that she loved the authority in Emma’s voice, sighing with a glance down at her bare feet. Emma’s bare feet. She almost smiled. “Emma … I don’t know what I’m doing …”

“I don’t know either,” Emma teased, running her hand down to Regina’s, holding it. “But I know what I _want_ to do, and that’s be with you. Without being so afraid … we don’t have to be afraid, Regina. We can be happy. And we don’t have to let other people rule our decisions.”

“But Henry-”

“Can’t rule your life, either,” Emma said so sincerely, Regina thought about that instead of dismissing the idea immediately. “He’s our son, and we love him and we would do anything for him, but you can’t let his every reaction rule your life. You’ll never be happy.”

Regina thought about that while Emma played with her hands, relaxing to the simple touches. Emma had been right about so many things before – had her opening up others and trying new invigorating things – so she nodded her head at last. She knew there was a chance Emma was right, as difficult as it was to admit. “I know …”

Emma spoke quietly to her, stepping in just a little closer. “I love you, Regina … and the sooner you let yourself feel what you need to feel … the sooner you’ll be free. I don’t want other people’s feelings ruling you forever.”

Regina nodded, taking her hands back when it all seemed to be too much. Every touch from Emma was torturous when she was confronting her feelings. The feelings were too strong.

“I know, I know,” Regina said, taking a step back.

Emma looked sad that Regina was retreating but happy at the same time that she also seemed to be thinking.

“I think I just … I need some time,” Regina said sadly, leaning back against the counter.

Emma smiled, despite the other feelings rushing through her, finally standing in front of Regina with hands on her hips. “Well … you know where to find me.”

The fact that Emma was so understanding almost had Regina reaching out to her, but she stopped herself. She took in a breath through her nose and kept her emotions at bay as Emma retreated toward the front door. It was hard to let Emma go, but Regina knew she needed time to think, and she didn’t want to lead Emma on if she wasn’t absolutely sure what she wanted. Emma had already done so much for her – put on hold her own feelings, even. Emma deserved better. She deserved a woman who knew exactly what she wanted, so Regina had some thinking to do.

Slowly, Regina followed to the front door to thank Emma for her special day. She was shyly approaching when Emma opened the door and bowed flirtatiously at her: “Madam Mayor.”

Regina smiled with flattery, always having rather enjoyed that title. “Miss Swan, thank you kindly for today. It was very special to me.”

“Happy birthday,” Emma smiled, not daring to approach Regina. She simply let herself out, waving behind her.

Emma walked away with a deep-seeded kind of disappointment in the turn of events that had her feeling glum all the way back to Granny’s, where she stopped in for a late night hot chocolate.

Noticing the saviour take a seat at one of the booths, Granny called David just like the man had asked, and he was on his way just as the hot beverage reached his daughter’s table.

“Emma,” David said with a nod, winding around to her table as she groaned at the very sight of him. Her clumsy-worded father.

“David … what’s up?”

She didn’t look pleased to see him, but he held back his own disappointment for his daughter. “Emma, I just wanted to apologize. I … I didn’t mean to drive Regina away like that. I _really_ didn’t.”

“You might as well sit down,” she sighed, leaning back in the booth to finally lift her eyes to his, puckering her lips together in thought. Wondering what she could say to him.

“Please, Emma … I need you to know that I think … while Regina wasn’t the choice I might have made for you-”

“-Here we go-”

“-I actually … I think you two could make each other very happy,” David continued, sighing with a sad smile on his lips: “I … just want you to be happy. And I think you two could be happy together.”

Emma looked up at him with confusion pooling in her big eyes. She looked at him, reading him. He was telling the truth. She frowned seriously: “What’re you talking about? I thought you and Mary Margaret-”

“Disagree,” he finished with a necessary interruption, looking pointedly at Emma. “But she’ll come around, Emma. She will, I promise. But for now you need to know I’m on your side. And your mother is, too, but she just doesn’t see that Regina’s making you truly happy.”

“Well maybe she’s not,” Emma muttered – David just catching the words and wondering why she’d said them.

“Is … something wrong?”

Emma sighed openly before making a dramatic twirl of her head and landing it on her arms at the surface of the table. Something was most definitely bothering her.

“Emma …? You can talk to me.”

“I don’t think she’s ready,” Emma mumbled into her own arms – too reluctant to draw herself up to sit again. “… To be with me.”

“I thought you two were dating?” David asked gently, thinking better of reaching out to Emma when he couldn’t tell exactly how upset she was. Mary Margaret never liked being touched if she were too upset.

“We were,” Emma whined hopelessly, bringing her head up just enough to take another big sip of her hot chocolate.

“What happened?”

“What happened was she came to her senses.”

David’s brows furrowed, blinking: “But … you two seemed so happy?”

“Yeah, well. Thanks to your little family dinner, now Henry’s confronted her about us, and she admitted that we’ve had sex and the poor kid is totally grossed out. So now she’s re-thinking everything.”

David’s eyes went wide and then settled. He had to keep himself calm and ignore the fact that his daughter and his former arch enemy were having intercourse. He cleared his head and tried to think of Emma as just any other person to think of what to say.

“Emma … she’s just scared. But the way you two look at each other … it’s special. And she’ll come around.”

“Yeah, I figured that, too. But I told her I loved her and she said she needed a break. She loves stupidly romantic gestures, and I planned a whole day of them, but she didn’t even budge. She practically asked me to leave after dinner so she could have time to _think_. Not soundin’ too good from where I’m sitting.”

David looked down, disappointed that he and Snow had been so judgemental just the day before. They had made things difficult for their daughter, when he knew they should just have been grateful to have her in their lives at all. They had given her up as a baby to give Emma her best chance. It was only thinking that when David realized he would have to put aside any bad feelings toward Regina to support Emma and give his daughter her best chance at happiness right then. In that moment. He would have to do something big with the help of others – something that would make Emma, Regina, and Henry all see that they were loved and supported just as they were. That they didn’t need to change for the close-mindedness of others.

Emma cut into his realization with glum words: “I think I wanna just be alone …” She was actually pouting into hot chocolate, and it made David smile. She must have been such an adorable child.

“Alright,” he sighed, knowing what he had to do. Knowing what his wife had to do. “But I’m just a phone call away, alright?”

“Mm,” Emma groaned, dropping her head again.

“It’ll all turn out,” David smiled, putting his hand over the blanket of blonde hair Emma wore as a halo. He patted her once and then walked over to the door, casting one more glance back to remind himself what narrow-minded judgement had done to his little girl. He straightened his shoulders with his new determination to fix everything. He suddenly knew that he could.

Emma eventually finished her solitary hot chocolate, paid, and went back to the apartment she unfortunately shared with her parents. She let herself in and went directly to her bedroom where she sank down onto the bed and fell asleep in her clothes.

Her dreams took over in a matter of minutes, and Emma was lost in a deep and satisfying sleep.

 


	35. Townspeople

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The townspeople band together to get Emma and Regina back together.

 

Emma had spilled coffee on herself the next day after her talk with David, and gone for a new shirt only to run into Regina on the street. The moment she had faced Regina, a person rushing past had thrown them against one another – suspiciously running off down the street. Then Regina had her lunch literally stolen out from under her only to drag her heels to Granny’s and find none other than Emma Swan waiting for a different order. Three incidences later, they had to admit something strange was going on.

Emma was just walking past the park when she’d heard Regina’s voice screaming out: “Come back here, Thief!” Her hands were outstretched as if she might behead him for what appeared to be a stolen purse.

“WAIT!” Emma called back, rushing off on her feet to catch the criminal. Ever since she had been made sheriff, she always preferred to handle illegalities with her badge and leave magic out of it. Regina let Emma take over the situation, reluctantly, awkwardly thanking Emma once the blonde was jogging back to her, purse-in-hand.

“Couldn’t catch him, hmm?”

Emma rolled her eyes. “He looked like some kid, and he dropped it so I figured I would just bring it back to you, no harm done.” She evened her breathing and held out Regina’s designer purse: “Now can we discuss that these are not all coincidence and can you be nice for just a second while we do?”

Regina took the purse, both taking offense to Emma’s words and realizing the truth in them. She hadn’t been very nice in the past few days.

“Don’t give me that look. You ignored me all day yesterday and you keep seeming disturbed whenever you’ve bumped into me today.”

“Which must be a dozen times by now,” Regina muttered, grabbing Emma’s wrist when the frustrated sheriff turned to walk away. “Emma, wait.”

Emma froze facing away from the mayor at the sound of Regina’s voice, as soft as when Regina had been leaned over her in bed, stroking her. Emma closed her eyes.

“Emma …” Regina started, swallowing down her pride. “I’m sorry.”

Green eyes bit back into brown, anger festering: “… What’re you sorry for?”

Regina cleared her throat, fidgeting with the clasp of her purse. “I uh … I …”

“You?”

“I … this is hard for me, Emma.”

“As if this isn’t hard for me!” Emma said loudly, the passion seemingly arising from nowhere as she had been only whispering moments ago. “I’ve told you I love you, Regina! Love – and I wasn’t just saying that to get into your pants, alright? I was saying it because I meant it, and it feels like … like you’re just playing games now!”

Regina recoiled in disgust at the very idea: “Miss Swan, it should be perfectly clear by now that I’ve only withdrawn for _you_! What other reason would I have?!”

Emma looked at her with frustration and confusion.

“If I hadn’t cared about you at all, I would draw you in whenever I felt the need to have you around and ignore you otherwise. But you’re different, and I … I don’t want that! I want all or nothing with you.”

Emma took in deep breaths, analyzing Regina to find only truth.

“And if you were half as observant as the other people in this town … you’d see that I feel just as strongly for you as you do for me,” Regina finished, releasing Emma’s hand with tears in her eyes. “Stronger, maybe …”

“Regina-”

“And I know I’m difficult,” Regina hissed, nostrils flaring with anger of her own. “I _know_ that … it’s ... one of the many reasons I’ve been struggling with being so …” _happy with you_. But she couldn’t say it. She just looked up into Emma’s eyes. “I still don’t know how to feel about the birthday you threw me.”

Emma tried to smile but only managed to continue staring into Regina’s emotive eyes.

“I don’t think I liked being spoiled, really …”

The depth of sadness in Regina’s eyes made Emma want to cry. Did Regina really feel herself to be unworthy of celebrating her life? It was one day out of the entire year. Was it really so impossible to be happy with herself for a full day?

“I have to go,” Regina said when she realized she’s shared too much, hurrying off to leave a shocked Emma behind, staring after her.

It took a full day after their conversation for Emma to notice the townspeople of Storybrooke approved and were encouraging with a possible relationship between the town sheriff and mayor. Others were voicing their support for Emma to pursue Regina – everyone having seen Regina’s insecurity in that regard. The town had even banded together to promote the relationship, and Emma had a very good idea of just whose idea it had been. Only two people would plan something as ridiculous as a town set-up. So Emma went to confront the two culprits.

“David, Mary Margaret,” she said, hands on her hips just after she had sat her two parents down in their apartment, giving them her frustrated smile. “It’s gotta stop, alright?”

Mary Margaret frowned: “What? … I already said I was sorry about Regina. We had that talk, Emma. Remember?”

Emma rolled her eyes at her memory of the strange and uncomfortable conversation she’d had with her mother about being a lesbian. Just the other day, Emma had tried to explain that she was interested in both women and men in general, but only Regina in specific. It had led to a very strange and awkward talk about sex that Emma had never wanted to have with a grown woman as naïve as her mother.

“Yeah,” Emma said, pulling a face. “I remember the talk. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Oh,” Mary Margaret sighed, slapping her husband on the shoulder. “She means your secret plan.”

“Shh!” David laughed, whacking her shoulder back. “She didn’t know until you just gave me up without a fight!”

Emma rolled her eyes: “Guys! Whatever this was – whoever was in on it-”

“Oh, the whole town joined up,” Mary Margaret admitted without so much as any semblance of an interrogation. David was just staring at her in disbelief as she went on: “They all banded together when David and I told them the mistake we’d made, and how happy you and Regina seem to make each other. Surprisingly, they all really grew to love the idea of our town saviour and ex-evil queen making a nice little life together. They even came up with a code name for the operation in Henry’s honor, because we didn’t think it would be right to include him. It _was_ quite a sneaky plan.”

“WAS!” David whispered, eyes wide at his blabbermouth wife. “What the hell, Snow?!”

“She deserved to know,” Mary Margaret sighed, smiling up at her daughter and leaning back into the couch. “There. I saved you about an hour of your life. You should thank me. You both should.”

“We could have kept the secret until tomorrow,” David grumbled, crossing his arms in petulant anger only to have Snow rolling her eyes at him.

“Oh, David. That wasn’t even a good idea anyway. You would’ve scared Regina half to death.”

“Well, Emma would have been there,” he reasoned, “And no one would have been in any _real_ danger.”

Emma interrupted with her hands out in front of her: “Whoa! What the _hell_ are you two talking about?!”

“Your father was planning on having someone trip Regina’s house alarm to make it seem as though someone was trying to break in all to get you to sleep over because she would be so horribly scared to be alone in that big house all by herself,” Mary Margaret shared easily, shaking her head. “It was a bad idea, David. She probably would have baked a poisonous pie for you.”

“What?!” Emma whispered with laughter, unable to believe her parent’s ludicrous schemes. “Dad?! … You wanted me to sleep over with Regina?! … Am I hearing this right?”

“Not like that!” he frowned, standing from the couch. “But she can’t ever let anyone in, and I thought maybe if she saw how good you are, and how strong and that you’re such a protector … I thought maybe she’d see that she needs you in her life. That you’re good for her, Hunny.”

“And maybe,” Snow interjected, “If you saw that you can’t be happy without _her_ … maybe you’d be more unafraid to throw yourself out there …”

“Mom!”

“Well, she does have a very sordid past,” David reasoned, scratching the back of his neck. “And she was evil queen, so it’s gonna be hard for her to open up. We just thought maybe you wouldn’t mind putting yourself out there a little longer. Just to make her see that you two belong together.”

“So let me get this right,” Emma smirked despite her confusion. “You two were against this a week ago, and now you’re so enthusiastic for Regina and I to have our happy ending that you’ve enlisted the entire town to plan schemes to force us into each other’s arms?!”

“Yeah, your father made me see how stupid I was being to disapprove. I’m better than that – to hold onto old grudges. Especially when it comes to you. I guess we’ll have to get rid of these though,” Mary Margaret sighed, picking up a printed sign from behind the couch that read in bold letters: “LONG LIVE SWAN QUEEN!”

Emma laughed. She laughed, leaning forward on her knees, she laughed standing up, and she laughed when she finally had to crouch to keep from tumbling over completely. “You gave us a couple name?” she chuckled, her laughter finally settling down as she picked herself up again. “Whose idea was this?”

“Well,” Snow smiled. “Granny thought we needed a name for the two of you, because it was easier than constantly referring to you separately by name, and I agreed because Henry would want that, but Leroy was the one taking all the votes and casting out new ideas. It was a group effort really.”

“I can’t believe this,” Emma jeered, reaching out and motioning to the sign her mother still held as if it were a sacred monument. “Gimme that.”

“Say please!” Mary Margaret said, scoffing when Emma simply took it from her and marched her way out of the apartment.

“Don’t be mad!” David called after her.

“I want to hear the rest later,” Emma said over her shoulder, closing the door behind her as she headed to Regina’s. It was ridiculous, how much she hated her parent’s plans to force her and Regina together, but the more she thought of it, the more she realized that she and Regina might have been in some serious need of help. They both felt incapable of establishing such a relationship – one that would last – especially given their pasts. But the whole town waiting and cheering for them to succeed was an endearing thought. Emma sat in her car once she’d reached Regina’s house, simply looking up to door. Regina was in there, probably still tense about everything they had said to one another over the past few days they’d spent spoiling what could have been an amazing thing. _Still could be_ , Emma thought to herself.

She slipped out of her car and walked up to the house with the hilarious town’s sign in one hand and her car keys in the other, standing there. Just standing there.

It took confidence to knock on the door, but shortly thereafter, Regina appeared there before her – the very picture of grace and beauty despite red, puffy eyes.

“Emma,” she said calmly, lifting a brow at the sign Emma held up in front of her own chest. “… What … Am I supposed to know what that means?”

“The town wants us to bump uglies,” Emma smirked, watching Regina’s face contort so as not to show her own amusement at the crass joke.

“I say again … Am I supposed to know what that means?”

“The townspeople. David and Mary Margaret felt really awful about running you out and making me feel like it was a mistake to be with you … they saw how happy I was being with you, and so … they kind of started a movement here in town.”

“A _movement_?”

“Yup,” Emma smiled, lighting genuinely at the presence of the woman before her. “And they branded us ‘Swan Queen’ … so there’s that.”

“Shouldn’t the Queen bit be first?” Regina teased, her shoulders relaxing at the fact that Emma was there talking to her. Trying to fight for what they could have together.

“Queen Swan wouldn’t sound as good,” Emma teased back, walking in past Regina without asking to enter first. “Besides, I think the ‘Evil Queen’ nickname could stand to be knocked aside and replaced with something a little cuter.”

“Swans are hardly cute,” Regina said with a roll of her eyes as she closed and locked the door. But when she saw Emma’s look of concern, she lovingly clarified. “Except one, if I may say so …” With that, Regina walked past Emma into the kitchen – where she gravitated when challenged or nervous.

“I’ll give up cute if I can be sexy,” Emma flirted quietly after she’d trailed into the kitchen after Regina.

Regina was busying herself silently at the sink, so Emma grinned and stepped a little closer.

“Not that you think I’m sexy now …”

Regina’s body went a little tense, so Emma walked right up behind her and placed each hand at Regina’s sides over the cool, granite counter – reminding Regina that she was a force to be reckoned with.

“So maybe it’s better if I’m just cute, huh …?”

Regina closed her eyes at the feel of Emma surrounding her, remembering the way Emma felt on top of her. Pinning her down and playfully nipping at her neck only for Regina to realize how strong the beautiful sheriff really was. If Emma wanted – if Emma were the kind of woman to simply take what she wanted – Regina could easily be thrown up against the wall and fucked senseless. Not that she assumed Emma still wanted her after all that happened over the last few days …

Maybe it would help if she apologized.

“I’m … I’m sorry,” Regina whispered, glancing down at Emma’s strong hands but then clearing her throat. She wasn’t apologizing for Emma to please her. She was apologizing because she hadn’t been fair to Emma. “I’m sorry I asked to only be friends …”

Emma seemed shocked by the apology – hands less aggressive in their grasp on the counter. Breathing uneven. “You are …?”

“Yes,” Regina said, looking down at her own hands over the sink. “Yes, I’m sorry, Emma. I … acted foolishly. I was … afraid, I suppose.”

The honesty was thrilling to Emma – Regina understood her own insecurities enough to share them. Emma could only listen quietly as Regina went on.

“I’m sure it was hurtful … and I’m sorry. I just …” Regina turned, looking up hesitantly into Emma’s powerful gaze. “I just can’t stand to have Henry upset with me, after all that’s happened. And he’s growing up so fast-”

“Regina,” Emma interrupted, as close as she could be without actually touching. She lifted a strand of Regina’s hair and tucked it behind her ear. “You don’t have to be afraid of losing him … because you never will.”

“I almost did,” Regina whispered, eyes cutting into Emma’s to show just how vulnerable she was about Henry.

“Regina, I _promise_. Nothing will take Henry away from you – I’ll make sure of that. No matter what. You don’t need to worry like this. It’s not good for you – you’ll have no life.”

“I already have no life,” Regina said glumly, looking down again to the small slip of space between them, her breath catching when Emma closed it.

“You have me, alright?” Emma said, holding Regina from around her waist. “But I need you too. Promise me that you’ll try to care about me just a little bit?”

Regina let out a breath of laughter, lifting her hands to Emma’s broader shoulders. She smiled at Emma’s feminine collarbone and the curve of her breasts contrasted with the obvious musculature of her arms. She looked up into Emma’s eyes and thought she finally understood how fear and love could go hand-in-hand. She wanted to tell Emma she loved her then, but she was too afraid, so she simply leaned in and hugged Emma close. She breathed in and wrapped both arms around Emma until Emma was holding her back and they both were content to stand holding one another.

It felt so good to be held that Regina found herself confessing foolishly: “I missed you so much …”

Emma held her a little tighter, smiling and pressing her hands against Regina’s back, prompting out another uncharacteristic confession.

“I hate being alone, Emma.”

The insecurity in Regina’s voice struck Emma speechless. When she had first come to know the town mayor, Regina was always so confident and strong. But the more she spoke with Regina, the more she came to see that it was all just an act. The real Regina had so many underlying issues that Emma wanted to lift her up into her arms and kiss them all away. Instead of all that, however, she spoke to try and ease Regina’s worries.

“It’s okay. I’m here now.”

Immediately, Regina wanted Emma to move in with her. It was surprising how quickly she wanted something so terrifyingly real and commitment-based, but the feel of Emma in her arms was perfect. She wanted Emma to hold her until she fell asleep, and be there when she woke up. She thought, however, it might be a bit premature to suggest such a thing so suddenly, so she simply held Emma until she felt lips nuzzle in against her neck.

“Ah ah ah,” Regina said weakly, voice raspy with accidental lust. “Not now … Henry’s upstairs.”

“You know this ‘Henry’s in the house’ thing can’t last forever.”

Regina rolled her eyes, reconnecting once Emma took a step back, releasing her. “Wait, Emma-”

“Well I need to take care of myself then,” Emma shrugged teasingly, giving Regina a very sound kiss on the lips. “And I’ll feel pretty bad if I … magic you into my room,” Emma smirked. “So get in bed after I leave. And don’t move.”

Was Emma admitting that she was going to touch herself and think it was Regina? The very thought was so hopelessly sexual that it aroused Regina to no end.

“I can’t even _move_ now? What on earth could be arousing about that?”

Emma licked her lips: “It’s what I imagine you doing …”

“And what do you imagine?” Regina whispered quietly, thankfully hearing some motion from upstairs to assure her Henry was nowhere near their conversation. She slipped her hands over Emma’s hips and smiled at the hiss of breath sucked in at her gentle touch.

“I-I … sometimes … think about making l-love to you …”

“And _other_ times …?” Regina grinned, obviously getting off on making Emma admit to her fantasies.

“… Uh … I … I imagine … rougher … things …?”

Regina took a step closer when Emma took a step back, pursuing her with hooded eyes: “Are you asking me, Miss Swan, or telling me?”

Emma stopped and willed herself to be that woman from her fantasies – the woman who could wield and please Regina to the smaller woman’s ultimate delight. The truth was she enjoyed most imagining ways in which to please Regina. She wanted to surprise her with lustful ecstasy. “I’m telling you.”

“Ooh, don’t we sound like the town sheriff,” Regina teased, hinting at a fantasy she’d had herself.

“Yeah, just too bad I don’t have my cuffs,” Emma teased with a playful smile, watching Regina’s eyes light up and then immediately darken. “Because you never know when you might need them to subdue a very naughty prisoner …”

“Miss Swan …”

They both listened when footsteps were moving from upstairs – Emma winking and then giving Regina another hug before heading toward the stairs and chuckling when she got a running hug from her son.

“What was that for?” Emma laughed, watching Henry then go to Regina and deliver much the same hug, nearly knocking his other mother back from the energy of it. “Careful!”

“Sorry,” Henry smiled. “It’s just so good to see you guys here together again. Mom, I’m sorry I made you so upset.” He looked to Emma and then Regina with wide, curious eyes: “So? Are you guys dating again?”

Regina bit her cheek to keep from grinning at the hope on both faces staring back at her – giving in to her own inner hope, too. She squared her shoulders at the attention and locked eyes with Emma. “Miss Swan … if you’ll have me … I would like to … continue dating you.”

Emma beamed back with only one in answer: “Good.”

On her way back to her apartment, Emma was grinning like an idiot. She made it back with no one to pester her before she hurried to her bedroom – thank goodness. Regina was on her mind, and there was only one way to get her out …

Emma pleased herself in the dark, her mind accidentally drifting back to Regina as she cuddled with her comforters in bed, smiling at the memory of the softer side Regina had shown her in weeks past. She wanted that woman snuggled up beside her – unafraid to be her tender self. Emma allowed herself to imagine holding Regina at night, and her mind drifted to the next time she would see Regina. Would everyone know she had made up with Regina? Did she want them to after all the chaos others had put them through?

In the dark, Emma reached for her phone and began a text conversation with Regina Mills.

**lets pretend we didnt make up. we could totally put on a show. serves them right for plotting. i know we made up and all, but we could kind of act?**

_**You think THAT was make up sex? … Oh Dear, I think you’ve been deprived of something truly fantastic.** _

**whatht?? can i come overr??????’**

_**Not right now. But I like this idea of trickery. Those towny bastards deserve it.** _

**yeahhhh**

_**What on earth are you thinking I’m doing with them if you’re moaning about it?** _

**that wajsnt a moan!!**

_**Whatever, you over-sexed fool. Just follow my lead next time out in public and all will be well. I might even give you a little treat after all of this is over …** _

**JKERSSUUSSSSS what ttwhwat what is the treat?????**

_**I don’t know with that godawful typing if you even deserve the answer.** _

**please please your majesty tell me what you’re offering!!!**

_**Much better.** _

**so????? please???????**

_**Well, I’ve never been spanked before, Miss Swan … Would you care to do the honors?** _

With a loud thump, Emma fell out of bed.

 


	36. Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Regina get back at the conspirators who meddled by making them somewhat uncomfortable.

 

The last text Regina had sent her the night before was still on Emma’s mind the next morning, meeting up at Regina’s request in Granny’s. She didn’t even feel like her free will was her own the more she thought of Regina’s offer. She was like a puppet for that beautiful brunette – an eager, sexually-charged puppet …

Regina smiled upon entering Granny’s just minutes before she knew Snow and David would stop by for their late breakfast. She had timed it perfectly, really, and if they were going to put on a show, why not offend Emma’s sheltered mother?

Walking over to the counter to order, Regina stood waiting with her hand on her hip. There was a curve to her stance that she knew would catch Emma’s attention, whipping her head around when she felt Emma’s eyes on her from two tables over.

“Yes?” Regina snapped as she caught Emma staring – gaining every patron’s attention in the diner. “… Can I help you, Miss Swan?” There was the authority of the old Regina’s voice still there, but it was softer. It was almost playful and yet laced with frustration.

Emma felt a flush of embarrassment at Regina pointing out that she’d been staring, but swallowed down her pride. They were acting – it was an act. And she would be paid in kind for going along with it. So she cleared her throat and looked down at her table, wondering what Regina wanted. A public fight? Well, she certainly didn’t want anyone thinking the townspeople’s plans had contributed to their reunion.

When Emma picked her eyes up again, Regina was standing at her table, staring down at her.

“After all the times you’ve run into me over the last few days, _Swan_ , I’m beginning to think you’re stalking me,” Regina snarled, surprising Emma with the passion behind the act. “Are you stalking me, Sheriff?”

Emma cleared her throat, about to respond when Regina continued on without her.

“Because that would be illegal.”

Emma blinked up at her: “I’m not following you. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh? Then why on earth do you appear everywhere I go?”

Others around them had turned to stare in no shy fashion, eyes locked on the scene to make sure they wouldn’t miss a fight that possibly broke out between mayor and sheriff. Eyes flitted from Regina’s stern expression to Emma’s newfound sense of anger, and back again as Regina replied to herself.

“It must be for some reason … perhaps the _staring_ has something to do with it.”

Emma glared at her – Regina had some nerve. “Pretty full of yourself, aren’t you, _Your Majesty_.”

Regina leaned over Emma’s table, glaring at her for full effect while others stared – most of them worried what an angered Regina Mills might be capable of doing to their town saviour.

“ _If_ I decide to give this another try …” Regina said, low and sure. “And that’s a big _if_ … you had better start acting as if you respect me. Not coming to my rescue like I’m some damsel in distress.”

“Whatever you say,” Emma gritted right back, standing from her seat. “You don’t wanna be saved, then fine. I can spend my time saving other people who really appreciate my help. And you know what? … I’m beginning to think it’s _you_ following me. Showing up here. Coming over. Harassing me.”

_That’s it, Swan._ Regina had been waiting for her to fight back.

Regina expertly kept her expression stiff, her eyes rigid as she bored into Emma’s. “Oh yeah? Is that so? So none of this was your doing then? I find that hard to believe.”

“Uh huh,” Emma said, imposing her own authority and readied stance to intimidate the woman in heels who just stood to her height in those glorified stilts she called shoes. “And why is that _my_ problem? Hmm?”

“One of many I assure you,” Regina scowled gloriously, pushing her shoulders back to take on the verbal trouble she and Emma had started.

Just as Regina was worried no one would ever step in, Granny finally snapped to the rescue, huffing with apology. “Girls, girls! Settle down – it was neither of you.”

“Yeah,” Leroy interrupted next, standing by his seat. “It was … kind of us …”

Granny tried her best to smile: “Sorry we complicated things, girls. We were only trying to help. Sometimes people need a little push.”

Regina scoffed, surprised by how touched she was all of the sudden – overcome with others’ sincere declaration of support. A part of her was so touched that she actually smiled. “Well … not that I don’t appreciate it, but … is that any way to get people together? To force them?”

The Charmings entered the diner with some confusion at the tableau of patrons just sitting and watching the powerful couple. They stood at the door with Belle filling them in on the argument as the scene went on. Their presence did not go unnoticed, and while Emma darted a cautious look over to Regina at the new addition to their audience, Regina only narrowed her eyes and smiled.

Ruby stepped out from behind the counter, walking over to the two who had split, holding each of their hands. Regina of course pulled her hand way, but Emma held Ruby’s back and smiled.

“We’re sorry, guys, but come on – it’s like you two were _made_ for each other,” Ruby said gently, looking between the two women. “Come on, make up.”

And then Regina became readable to Emma, her eyes glaringly eager to take Ruby up on what she’d asked – what the whole town had wanted – by putting on an awfully public display that would likely make many uncomfortable – including Snow. Serves them right, Regina thought with a subtle change of posture. For once, Regina didn’t want to simply take what she wanted. She wanted Emma to kiss her like she had seen men kissing women in romantic films. She wanted to make a big scene so everyone would know how they felt. Regina Mills wanted to kiss Emma Swan for all the world to see – unapologetic about the chemistry they shared for once and for all.

“I’m … sorry I assumed all that,” Regina said, satisfying what she knew would be Emma’s requirement to allow for a public act of love.

And just like that, Emma reached out, grabbed Regina by the arm, and pulled her in – kissing her so passionately that Regina froze for a single moment with Emma’s arms wrapped around her. At first glance, it seemed like perhaps it had all been a mistake for the stoic and cynical town mayor to put on such a display, but Regina quickly felt herself relaxing as Emma kissed her lips twice more, wanting her to reciprocate the caresses.

Mary Margaret was happy for a moment that it looked like the women had made up. It was a romantic kiss. An act of true love. She even clasped her hands and smiled.

Eagerly, Regina flung her arms over Emma’s shoulders and pulled them impossibly closer only to be dipped back in a romantic gesture she wouldn’t soon forget. She was smiling into their kiss while others around them were clapping and _aww_ ing at the sight it made to see the two bickering women finally put aside their differences to show their true feelings in something as visceral as a kiss.

Emma was supporting Regina, dipping her with all the strength that had made Regina weak before. She was kissing all plans and spells from her mind. She was captivating her soul, and along with it, her tongue. As their kissing deepened and became more passionate than tender, Emma’s hand slipped through Regina’s hair. Regina looped her arms around Emma’s neck and exhaled at the sensation of being needed.

Mary Margaret’s expression changed with the feeling behind the kiss – sending a panicked look to David and then averting her eyes to the ground. Emma was her daughter – was she supposed to walk over and pull them apart? Let it all happen? Pretend it wasn’t happening at all? With one more glance up, Snow caught the look on her daughter’s face as she slipped her hands over Regina and Snow blushed ten shades of red.

The two women stood chest-to-chest, kissing with passion until Granny noticed some of the patrons becoming a little hot under the collar.

“Alright, alright,” Granny chuckled when Emma stood them both up completely straight again but only combed her hands harder into Regina’s hair to kiss her deeper. She couldn’t seem to help herself – Regina was a powerful force that beckoned to her.

“Ah, let ‘em kiss,” Ruby grinned, arms crossed and legs too. It was quite an appealing sight after all …

“I’m not sure if I love this or hate it,” Leroy said uneasily, always having hated Regina and thought of Emma as some kind of platonic friend. He pulled a face at the sight of Regina giving back into the kiss tenfold – lips and tongue slipping over Emma’s mouth with gusto. She was certainly a good kisser – a pliable woman when she wanted to be.

“Alright, don’t make me get out the hose,” Granny said, prompting Emma to smirk into their kiss – feeling how much Regina needed her to keep going. Emma couldn’t stop. Regina didn’t _want_ her to, but Regina pulled her lips back only to feel Emma teasingly kissing her cheeks and into her hair.

“This … this is what … happens …” Regina whispered between kisses, finally pulling herself away although greatly enjoying the way Emma tried to keep her close. “When you meddle!” she hissed, gasping when Emma grabbed her by her blazer to twist the brunette and hold her flush to her body. “See what you’ve done?” Regina rasped to others around them, clearing her throat as she slapped Emma’s hands away.

The other patrons weren’t sure if they were aroused, confused, or afraid when confronted with the animal magnetism of the sight. It was a strangely erotic vision – the saviour and the mayor working one another up in what could only be described as a sexual sight.

Once Emma allowed the mayor to slip out of strong arms, Regina fixed her hair and turned back to everyone one last time before taking her exit. “This is what prying gets you,” she said after clearing her throat. She looked to Granny and all the others standing there, smirking accidentally when she looked back to notice the feral look in her lover’s eyes. “Great. Now look what you’ve done to her. She’s lost her senses.”

“That ain’t _our_ fault,” Leroy muttered teasingly, freezing when Regina shot him a glare.

Everyone had figured Regina would be the type to pin Emma to the wall or command Emma to do as she bade, but as they watched the way Emma stalked over and took Regina’s hand in hers, they saw something else entirely. Regina wasn’t trying to control Emma. She was simply trying to tame the lust that boiled so easily under the surface. Regina was trying to keep up a public image, slapping Emma’s hand away again when it slipped around her hip to walk out with her.

“Stop that!” Regina hissed with only the hint of a smile as Emma opened the door for her and followed eagerly after.

David watched after the girls in confusion, blinking. Snow was staring at the back wall – cheeks still as red as a tomato.

While everyone else was still watching in shock as the couple left, Emma decided to play the scene up again, pushing Regina up against the diner window to kiss her – lifting Regina and promptly letting her down again when Regina breathed that they’d teased the others _quite_ enough for one day. They hurried off to Regina’s car together – no one in the diner quite sure what they had just seen.

Emma and Regina were laughing full-force once they slipped into Regina’s car. They looked at each other with smiles in their eyes, and shared a full-bodied laugh. It was the kind of release that Emma had always heard was nature’s best medicine but hadn’t truly believed. Not until that moment with Regina when they both let out all their energy into the friendly release.

“Took you long enough to start fighting back,” Regina teased, still breathless from all the laughter that had just spilled out of her. She put her hand to her chest and settled with ease into her driver’s seat. Grinning like an idiot.

“Well you can be a very intimidating woman,” Emma teased back, just settling back herself. She looked over to Regina and was more than happy with herself that she had set that beautiful smile on Regina’s lips. “Think we scarred the whole town enough?”

Regina chuckled and started her car: “Enough for one lifetime at least.”

Seeing as it was only mid-morning, they decided to head over to Regina’s place to spend some alone time together. Regina assumed it would be the sort of quick-and-fast sex she had always assumed Emma wanted from her, but in fact the alone time Emma ended up with slow kisses on her couch.

Regina found herself flipped so she was leaned over Emma and straddling her right thigh when she smiled down at the woman who could make her weak with a single kiss. At times, their kisses were so satisfying, Regina couldn’t help but interrupt the action with a wordy reflection.

“You know … this feels an awful lot … like something … that requires a bed …”

All the while Regina spoke, Emma was unbuttoning her top and pinching her nipples through the fabric. Regina gasped with delight and then pressed down harder against Emma, kissing her deeper. The air around them felt suddenly thick, and the touches lingered longer. Emma’s fingers halted just at the bottom of Regina’s skirt, not even venturing to tease because Emma herself couldn’t stand it any longer. Regina’s kisses weren’t as deep – they were as chaste as she could make them, trying to convince herself that kissing was enough. Both women were wary of the intense experience that seemed wrong without proper discussion first. They had taken a break since the last time they were physically intimate, and there were things left unsaid.

“Em-ma,” Regina drawled, the soft moan driving her partner completely wild.

Emma moaned back with desperation, pinning Regina’s hands over her head to breathe down her neck and finally kiss the cleavage available to her at the top of Regina’s shirt.

“Emma,” Regina chuckled, laughter bubbling out of her quite by accident at the effortless way Emma made her weak.

Moving her hands at last to Regina’s clothed breasts, squeezing them once, and then sitting up, Emma groaned. “I know … talk first.”

Regina sat up next to her, panting.

Emma cleared her throat: “It’s just that Henry already knows about us getting back together, and if you ask me, he’s happy that things are working out between us.”

Regina licked her lips, eyes heavy as she took in the slope of Emma’s arms. The breasts concealed by a sports bra, no doubt. How Regina longed to release them … play with them …

“I don’t really know what to add to that,” Emma finished, turning to Regina to smile at the look in the beautiful mayor’s eyes.

“I agree,” Regina whispered, standing on very shaky legs. “But Miss Swan, I was going to say we really ought to move this up to the bedroom.”

Emma didn’t need to be asked twice. She was ushering Regina up the stairs two-at-a-time much to the entertainment of the woman who hurriedly kicked off her heels at the bottom of the stairs so as not to trip.

“Are you insane?!” Regina was laughing up the stairs, giggling still when Emma swung open her bedroom door and kissed her all the way to bed. Emma was undressing them both while Regina kissed her, humming her sweet pleasure at the act she had dearly missed since distancing herself from Emma. She was the happiest she could ever remember being with a partner – kissing Emma and feeling soft hands gently but quickly undressing her.

When both women fell onto the bed in a tangle of legs, Emma rolled onto her back and looked up at Regina who sat astride her hips, running her hands over Regina’s thighs.

“I can’t remember just _looking_ at a person and wanting them this much,” Emma admitted, looking seriously at the woman she needed. “To want my fingers in you like I do …”

“Oh _God_ ,” Regina moaned, throwing off her shirt and reaching back to unclasp her bra before reaching down to pull Emma’s off, too.

Emma pulled Regina down against her for a long kiss before Regina pulled back to play with her breasts.

“I missed you,” Regina admitted softly, kissing up to Emma’s lips again – gasping when she felt Emma’s cool fingers inch up her already-lifted skirt.

“I want you to cum all over me …”

“Shhh!” Regina gasped, clapping her hand over Emma’s mouth when it all built inside of her to have her feeling ashamedly desperate. However, just as she wanted, Emma was pleasing her before she had to ask. Emma knew what she needed. Emma was watching her, smiling into her hand.

Regina found that make-up sex with Emma was certainly worth all the trouble in between, but she wouldn’t have wished the confusion on them a second time. She laid next to Emma after they were both spent, still too tired to lift her own arms when she felt Emma’s arm looping around her – pulling Regina’s back to her chest. Regina couldn’t help but giggle that the task was accomplished so easily.

“You make me feel weightless,” Regina smiled at last, kissing Emma’s hand and then flirtatiously grinding back against Emma when a wet finger traced her lips. She took it in her mouth and then laughed when she was tasting herself. She slapped Emma’s hand away as the blonde behind her laughed along.

“What?” Emma chuckled over her shoulder, kissing Regina’s neck romantically. “I like when you taste yourself …”

“I would much rather be tasting _you_ ,” Regina whispered, slipping comfortably into a soft and quiet napping pose with her eyes drifting closed. “… all by myself …”

“What was that?” Emma smirked, looking around at Regina’s relaxing features to see she was already falling asleep. She smiled wider when Regina tried again to clarify but ended up just mumbling onto Emma’s arm.

It was noon and they were both already so exhausted from very active sex that they slept in each other’s arms. It was perfect, however, until Regina awoke to realize she needed to be picking up Henry in only a half hour, and she hadn’t showered, changed, or maybe given Emma another round or two of fun … _No! No fun!_

“Emma,” she gasped groggily, spinning the alarm on her side of the bed by crawling over the stronger woman. “Emma, wake up.”

Easier said than done. _Great_.

Regina smiled as she slipped out of bed and hopped into the shower – working as quickly as she could with a stupid smile plastered on her face at the way her body felt after Emma’s loving touches had driven her over the edge a number of times. Emma had learned parts of her body so quickly, Regina thought she should probably have been insulted – was she such a quick study? But then again … she and Emma had something very special …

“Yeah, this I could get used to.”

Regina whipped around to catch the grin on the sheriff’s lips. Taking it all in. The entire bathroom was steamy and warm, and Emma had been drawn to the sounds of the running water which thankfully pulled her from sleep.

“Are you hiding your naked body from me now?”

“I couldn’t wake you,” Regina scoffed, trying to quickly wash out the conditioner from her hair when Emma knocked on the glass and blinked up at her with the best impression of a sad puppy Regina had ever seen. “No – get out of here,” Regina laughed, turning around so she wouldn’t be tempted. But then two strong arms weaved around her and all she could do was smile. “Emma …”

“I know, you have to go. I just wanted a hug.”

“From behind?” Regina teased, rinsing out the last of her hair product to feel one of Emma’s hands snake up to her chest, massaging a wet breast. “Emma! … Emma, I really can’t.”

“Later?” Emma whispered just loudly enough over the sound of the running water.

Well, Regina couldn’t deny her the possibility. She said as much and left Emma in her shower to go and pick Henry up from school. Emma showered and magicked herself new clothes to wear before heading downstairs and grabbing some juice before making her way back home. It was a pleasant few hours she spent remembering her time with Regina and watching some TV on her day off. When she was bored and lonely after dinner, however, she decided to head on over to Mifflin.

When Henry answered the door and saw flowers in Emma’s hand, he scrunched his eyebrows. “I thought you guys were already back together?”

“What – no ‘Hey’ or ‘How’s it going?’” Emma scoffed, as if she been truly offended.

“Fine,” Henry greeted at last: “Hey Emma.”

“Hey Kid,” she said, stepping in at his gesture to do so. “And yes, we made up. I was just thinking your mom would really like these.”

“Well, she doesn’t really like flowers much, but maybe she will. You never know with Mom.”

Emma rolled her eyes at his shrug, bopping him on the head with her flowers gently and jokingly. “Thanks a lot for the heads-up.”

When Regina entered to take Emma’s coat and the flowers, she didn’t let on in the least that the flowers Emma had chosen symbolized hatred. She smiled and found it absolutely adorable that Emma had picked up anything for her at all. It was, after all, the sentiment that counted. With each glance from Emma, she felt that more and more.

“Hey, Emma! Can we play Monopoly?” Henry beamed, earning a night with his moms – the three of them – that he wouldn’t soon forget. And although the game ended with Regina grinning and holding everyone’s money in her hands, the other two devised a plan to seek their revenge. While Regina was teasing them all about how important it is to be wise when choosing to challenge a _queen,_ Emma and Henry nodded at each other. Quickly, they were chasing the screaming, laughing mayor until Emma caught her and tickled her while Henry took all of her money and ran away laughing to himself.

“I’ll get you!” Regina belted out, elbowing Emma just hard enough to get her to stop as she ran after her son. Surprised for a moment, Emma felt herself smirk at Regina’s retreating form. _That little mischievous …_

It was a playful evening of quality time together until Henry ditched them for the more interesting draw of sword-fighting practice with his grandfather.

It was a night of simple relaxation for the two women alone in the large house until Regina whispered over her shoulder to a very relaxed sheriff: “So … what do you say to turning off this TV and claiming that prize you won yourself …?”

Emma listened but couldn’t understand what Regina meant until the idea set. The arm draped over Regina’s shoulder tensed, but she reminded herself to relax: “… What?”

“I would really like to make good on what I promised you for going along with my plan in the diner …”

Emma gulped: “… What you promised me?”

“How would you like to spank a woman who’s never been spanked before?”

“Ooh, who? – Ugh!” Emma laughed, pushed over onto the couch to see Regina rise from it to display her displeasure for the silly jest. “Wait,” she giggled, catching Regina’s wrist. Standing with her. “Madam Mayor … are you offering what I think you’re offering?”

Regina’s smile darkened with lust, watching Emma’s pulse quicken. “If you can handle me ... come and get it.”

 


	37. Spanking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finally gets to deliver a sound spanking to the mayor of Storybrooke.

 

“Since you have some kind of odd obsession with my backside, I thought it was only fair to offer.”

The teasing grin on Regina’s face was more than sassy – it was daring. She was pushing Emma by harassing her before they went through with anything. Why did she always have to be such an insatiable tease? Not that the obsession comment was _incorrect_ exactly …

They both stood in the living room, sizing each other up. Emma was obviously imagining Regina in less clothing, and Regina was determining just what Emma might like to do with her by her posture and physical expression. Emma wanted her. Well, one part of her specifically.

“You’re still staring at it,” Regina chuckled, and just then Emma realized how much she truly _did_ enjoy it when Regina was cruel to her. It was enticing her as she stepped forward, eyes scanning up Regina’s lithe and curvaceous form to that wonderfully expressive face. Those sharp eyes stared back at her, warning Emma of a tease to come. “I wouldn’t have thought _you_ to be into spanking. Not the high and mighty, white-knight-type _Emma Swan_. How long have you been enjoying this particular fetish, Miss Swan?”

Emma grinned: “Just since I met you.”

Regina was truly startled when she saw Emma was being sincere behind the teasing. It was new for her to want to spank anyone. “Well … I can’t imagine why,” Regina smirked to herself, turning to lean over the side of the couch, reaching needlessly for the remote. She checked over her shoulder to see Emma staring at her, and she was pleased with that. Tossing the remote back where she’d found it and humming with pleasure that Emma hadn’t even noticed her little stunt, Regina gestured to the larger couch. “So? … Shall we?”

“Here?” Emma breathed, suddenly nervous.

“It’s as good a place as any,” Regina smiled, sitting on the couch and looking up at Emma from under her lashes. If anyone could rile Emma up into wanting to spank them, it was Regina Mills. “Or should I just do it myself?”

The corner of Emma’s mouth lifted. “You’re trying to irritate me.”

Then Regina laughed: “Well, isn’t this supposed to be a punishment in some way …? Not that I’m as well-versed in _spanking_ as you, Sheriff. You peculiar thing.”

When Regina bit on the tip of her finger, Emma swallowed hard. “Not … not a punishment. It doesn’t have to be.”

“Oh? And what would you like it to be for me, Miss Swan?”

Emma almost wanted to ask Regina to stop turning her on so much. She could hardly focus, and yet the fantasy played out in her mind. She wanted Regina draped over her lap. She wanted to hear all the little sounds Regina would undoubtedly make. She wanted to know if Regina enjoyed it. She wanted to know how hard she could spank her – how much could Regina take?

“My my, aren’t we lost in our own thoughts?”

Emma combed a hand through her long curly hair and blew air out from her cheeks to lock eyes with Regina again and settle with the comforting stare of her lover. She breathed in and out, and then tentatively sat on the couch beside the lingerie-clad temptress.

“You know, I really thought you might have wanted to just start slapping away,” Regina smiled with her eyes. “I had no idea you’d be so enticingly nervous …” She reached over and raked both hands through Emma’s thick blonde hair, taking in the nervousness in Emma’s eyes and purring in response. “You are _deliciously_ uncertain. I must admit that I like this … reluctant kink of yours.”

How did Regina know about kinks? The terminology wasn’t around in her time, so that must have meant Regina had looked it up online somewhere for answers. Had she looked up spanking, too? For Emma? Suddenly Emma was too curious to keep quiet.

“Have you watched porn?”

Suddenly Regina looked as if she might laugh, but she blinked at Emma instead, smiling: “Excuse me?”

“Porn – it’s videos of … well, people … having sex.”

“I am aware of the definition of the word, but I am definitely confused about your question. Is that a part of your fantasy, Dear?”

“No!” Emma said suddenly. “No … I just wondered … I mean, if you had an idea of how it might go or what it should be for … I just thought since you had ideas already, maybe you watched it.”

“I just figured if you wanted to _hit_ me-”

“No,” Emma said sadly, the phrasing leaving a very bitter taste in her mouth. “Regina, no – it’s not like that at all. Please don’t say that … I would never wanna _hit_ you.”

“Not even a little slap on the face?” Regina teased, surprising Emma that time around – light eyebrows disappearing into Emma’s bangs. “Sorry to frighten you, Dear. Listen, if this is all a bit much for tonight, I’m perfectly fine with a little movie time.” The cuddling was implied, and with everything suddenly swirling through Emma’s mind, she agreed. She wanted to hold Regina too. She wanted to collect her thoughts.

Regina lounged on the couch in her lingerie and appetizing robe pulled closed as she draped a few blankets over herself in wait for Emma. She loved being warm – especially when she was so under-dressed – but Emma was her ultimate comfort. Emma was warm and soft and incredibly protective. Emma’s arms around her made Regina feel safe.

“Got the perfect one,” Emma smiled, heading back over to the couch to sit right beside the arm rest. She leaned back and beamed a little brighter when Regina snuggled up against her and put her head on Emma’s shoulder.

It was a romantic comedy film. Emma had first tried watching scary movies with Regina weeks ago to have Regina clinging to her, but had quickly found out Regina only found thrillers and horror movies humorous. Since then, Emma had found that instead, romantic comedies always struck Regina to the point that she needed to have Emma’s arms around her to settle the emotions that raged within. Regina was definitely a romantic at heart. She was a delicate woman underneath all of her armour, and Emma enjoyed being there to catch her when she fell into the dramatic beauty of romance.

After some tears settling down after the halfway point, Regina started to fall asleep against the steady heartbeat of her partner. First her eyes drifted closed, then she started to slip down Emma’s side until her head was in Emma’s lap, and then she was sound asleep. Emma mindlessly played with Regina’s hair while her partner slept until she’d had enough of the sappy film – lowering the volume to simply admire Regina. That dark hair, that olive skin, and those dark lashes and lips … there was something so hauntingly beautiful about Regina.

Not wanting to wake her, Emma tried to gently shuffle around, but ended up more so in the middle of the couch than off of it. Laughing to herself, Emma took in a deep breath and tried again, noticing with a catch in her breath that she sat with Regina’s hips in her lap – Regina squirming and then lying face down in her sleep. Emma’s eyes went wide, watching the tangled covers fall away. Had she done that with magic? _Oops_.

Softly, Emma rested one hand on Regina’s lower back and the other hesitantly on the backs of Regina’s thighs. She let her eyes take in Regina’s perfect body, willing herself not to be tempted. She didn’t want to touch Regina while she was sleeping, but the sight was driving her need. Regina’s bottom was right there in her sights. Regina had been willing but unsure of what it all entailed.

Emma smoothed her one hand up from Regina’s back toward her neck just over Regina’s robe, gently rousing her from her sleep.

“Mmm …” Regina moaned, obviously relaxed. She knew those hands. “Em-ma …”

In answer, Emma gently moved her fingers over Regina’s legs, and dipped her other hand down to Regina’s lower back again – both hands closing in quite hesitantly. She was giving Regina ample opportunity to call it off, but Regina was squirming. _Squirming_?

“Mmm … feels good …” Regina slurred, yawning herself awake with her eyes still closed. She held onto the pillow at the end of the couch and relaxed. Emma’s hands always felt so good on her.

Emma bit her lip – she would have preferred Regina draped over her the other way around, but she would have to learn to be an ambidextrous spanker. She lifted her left hand and held it only half a foot over Regina’s backside, watching Regina very carefully as she brought it down with a _slap_.

Regina gasped but calmed immediately, squirming again when Emma’s hand pressed over the little silk shorts and gently massaged where she had spanked. Regina enjoyed the physical attention. “Mmm …”

“Still good?” Emma asked, her tone an octave lower than usual. She was filled with intent. She was wracked with the frustration of never having been able to spank Regina before. Her body craved the feeling, but she would have stopped if it was making Regina uncomfortable. Surprisingly, Regina seemed completely relaxed at the sensation.

“Mmm … still good …”

“Tell me if I hurt you.”

“If you hurt me, you’ll know,” Regina teased, more awake than she was letting on. She wanted Emma to spank her seriously. She wanted to know what it felt like, but she could tell Emma was too nervous to try it in earnest, so she attempted to lead the situation. Luckily, it was working.

Emma’s hand came down again – that time it was harder. Regina could feel a very distant tingle, and she squirmed again at the feeling. It was … almost pleasant. Or had it been painful? She licked her lips and waited for another.

“Still okay …?” came Emma’s cautious question, to which Regina opened her eyes and looked back at her.

“I want you to spank me, Emma.”

Regina was so beautiful and confident – Emma could hardly believe it was really happening. Regina _wanted_ to be spanked? The Evil Queen herself was asking nicely to be spanked over Emma’s knees? It was surreal.

Without any real answer, Emma simply lifted her hand, and slapped it down harder than before with a very different kind of certainty to the gesture. She flicked her wrist and landed her hand with a resounding _thwack_. When Regina inhaled and held it there, Emma was pleased. That was the reaction she wanted. She massaged Regina again to take away any tingles of pain that remained, glad she had practiced so many times before to keep from making a fool of herself.

“Yeah … just relax …” Emma instructed, getting off on the way Regina did exactly what she asked. Regina put her head down again on the couch and waited for another.

The mayor felt so perfect in her lap, like Emma could have stayed that way all night. She wanted to pull Regina’s shorts down, but quickly thought better of doing something like that without asking. After all, it was her fantasy, and she didn’t want to rush Regina into it, especially when Regina often preferred things tender and slow.

“I don’t feel any pain,” Regina said honestly without picking her head up. “Am I supposed to be feeling hurt in some way?”

Emma smiled and kneaded her hands into Regina again, watching the smile on her woman’s lips. “No … it doesn’t have to be like that. Not if you don’t want.”

“… And if I’m curious?”

Emma couldn’t help the grin from tugging at her lips: “… You want me to spank you _harder_?”

“Well now that you have me draped over you with my ass propped up indignantly, I can’t help but be a little curious. Can you blame me?”

Emma chuckled, moving her left hand up Regina’s thighs to tease her with the insinuation of touch only to pull her hand away again: “I guess not …”

In proper teasing form, Emma slowly started to pull down Regina’s shorts – mouth watering at the appetizing offer in her lap.

Regina let all of her breath out at the way Emma was undressing her like she would devour her completely. Like Regina should be frightened by the need.

“If you want it to sting …” Emma moaned accidentally, hovering her hand over Regina’s backside. “Then … it’s best we do this without those … cute little shorts of yours …”

“Em-ma …”

“Squirm for me,” Emma whispered desperately, giving Regina an erotic chill. Emma was telling her what she wanted her to do, and Regina was immediately addicted to satisfying those small requests.

She lifted her hips for Emma and squirmed from her shoulders to her feet. When Emma reached out for her legs, Regina kicked her ankles up so her heels touched her backside. She moaned at Emma’s small touches.

“You’re so beautiful …”

“Just spank me already!”

Emma almost wanted to laugh at Regina’s impatience, but thought better of it. “I really don’t think you want this fantasy to go _that way_.”

Regina squirmed a little harder: “What way? There’s more than one way?”

“Two ways I imagine it at least,” Emma grinned, breathless when she let her gaze fasten on Regina’s perfect ass. She wanted so many things just then …

“Tell me …”

Emma swallowed hard, staring but not touching: “I … can spank you gently … and be very careful … or I could be … less careful.”

Regina laughed in the gravelled tones that always made Emma weak in the knees. “Oh, Miss Swan … is that all you can think up? _Less careful_? Or is it my body that’s distracting you …?”

“Well …” Emma cleared her throat, finally setting her hands down on Regina’s warm, delightfully smooth skin. She traced the tips of her fingers over Regina’s back and legs until her hands met and kneaded into the ass she had stared at for so long and never truly enjoyed in all of its naked glory. “… Umm … the uh ‘less careful’ fantasy has a few things in it I … don’t think we’ll be doing for a while …”

Regina was aroused just hearing Emma admit to some sort of racy fantasy. Would Regina like it? Be confused by it? Ignited? She moaned for Emma to continue. She was half-naked and squirming in Emma Swan’s lap – how she got to that moment in her life, she didn’t know. She moaned all the louder for it, enjoying how far she had come and how free she felt with Emma. Sharing fantasies? Had they really become so comfortable with one another in such a short amount of time? It was a thrilling thought.

“Maybe another time,” Emma finally said, relenting when Regina squirmed again and told her she wanted _desperately_ to hear what the fantasy entailed. “Do you know what a strap-on is?” _Please tell me you do, please tell me you do …_ Emma couldn’t help but admit that Regina’s naivety on the matter might very well have made the scenario _too_ appealing.

“No, what is it?” Regina asked, breathing in through her teeth when Emma smacked her gently on her bare bottom and relished in Regina’s little hiss of surprise.

“Tell me you’re joking …” Emma slurred, unable to sit still much longer. Wicked Regina, innocent in the ways of lesbianism, was affecting her physically. It melted Emma’s resolve.

“Is it something you strap on?” Regina moaned. “Is it bondage?”

_Jesus_. Emma shifted a little, swatting Regina again to let herself up so she could think. It was all too intense – having Regina so willing in her lap. Once she had drawn back enough to gain control of her faculties, Regina saw the effect her naivety was having on the saviour, and decided to tease her for it.

“You like it, don’t you? … That I don’t know,” Regina grinned, biting the tip of her own finger and then nibbling down to her knuckle. She looked up from under her lashes, daring Emma to educate her.

“Regina …”

“Maybe you could show me …?” Regina asked, standing from the couch to drop the rest of her clothing to the floor. She covered her own breasts with her hands and bit her lip at Emma. “But maybe not tonight … I think you’ve already corrupted me quite enough …”

The fire in Emma’s eyes was burning. Regina was enjoying pushing her just a little further with every comment. She was impressed that Emma remained calm, simply staring at her and taking it all in. Emma looked so predatory and yet restrained, it suddenly made Regina feel very shy.

“Maybe I should put my clothes back on …”

“No, don’t.”

Regina froze at the authority in Emma’s voice, turning away from her to smile.

“Go over to the couch and get on your hands and knees.”

Regina visibly shivered, but didn’t bother teasing. She did what Emma asked, desperate to know what Emma had in store for her. She moaned when she felt Emma’s weight shift behind her – Emma on her knees between Regina’s legs.

“A strap-on,” Emma started to explain, delivering a gentle smack to Regina’s ass to punctuate her pause. “Is something I could _wear_ , to use on you.” Another smack sounded, that time a little harder, and Regina was surprised with how much she enjoyed the sensation – there was a pleasant tingle of pain that rushed through her entire body. “It’s a harness I put around my hips, and I slip in a dildo to use on you. Do you know what a dildo is?”

“Will you stop if I say no?” Regina asked breathlessly, hissing with pleasure when another harder smack started where Emma’s hand came down and tingled all over her body. It was a momentary pain that rushed endorphins through her.

“But you have a vibrator, don’t you?” Emma asked, sincerely curious as to how Regina found pleasure all on her own for so many years as she moved her hands all over Regina’s naked back and down her thighs again. She loved staring at Regina’s naked body. “I always assumed you did.”

“I did magic something up to help me please myself. I have no idea what it’s called, but it _does_ vibrate, so I assume that’s what you’re referring to.” _Smack!_ “Uh! … I saw it in an advertisement online at some point, and wanted to try it, and …” _smack_ “… Uhh … It was very intense. I … I don’t use it very often.”

The more Emma spanked her, the more she grew to love it. To need it. The pain and pleasure were a satisfying combination, and the position was surprisingly arousing.

“Well, I will be more than happy to inform you another day,” Emma teased, leaning her hips a little closer to insinuate herself between Regina’s legs – pressing her pelvis against Regina’s backside. “I could thrust like this … from behind you. Or I could lie underneath you. But I would really want you to pick the position at first.”

“And in your fantasy?” Regina smirked, tossing the look over her shoulder to earn another – louder – _smack_. Regina shut her eyes at the feeling, lips parted open. Eyes closed.

“In my fantasy, I bend you over whatever piece of furniture you’re closest to, and I fuck your brains out.”

Regina bit her lip – quite confused about her own desire for what Emma claimed to fantasize. Did Regina really _want_ to be taken that way? With other lovers, she had been very wary of such aggression being used on her, but with Emma, it was almost as thrilling as it was terrifying. She turned onto her back at the thought, and pulled Emma on top of her. Her curious eyes gleamed up at Emma, soft hands touching blonde hair, reaching up to cup Emma’s face.

“Do you hurt me in your fantasy?” she whispered, tracing Emma’s lips absent-mindedly.

“No,” Emma smiled honestly, licking Regina’s index finger with her eyes fastened to Regina’s lips. “No, I don’t hurt you … it’s only as rough as you like it. In my fantasy … you’re screaming with pleasure, trust me. You spread your legs for me and _beg me_ to fuck you like that.”

“I like it rough in these fantasies?” Regina teased, kissing Emma when she heard a growl reverberate at the back of Emma’s throat. Regina giggled when Emma playfully pretended to bite her nose.

“Yes, in these fantasies … you have been known to instigate the … roughness …”

“Oh, is that right?”

Emma was draped over Regina, somehow cradling the brunette in her grasp. She smiled down at her, wondering how they had gone from an intensely sexual encounter to a loving, playful one. It always seemed to be so easy between them – natural and free. She had grown to love the more tender moments with Regina, treasuring the beautifully goofy smile Regina had when they were open and soft.

“I like you like this,” Emma admitted, smiling when Regina pulled one of the couch blankets onto them both. She sunk down onto Regina – their bodies pressed together, settling perfectly between Regina’s legs. “Seeing you happy … it makes me happy, too. Stupid happy.”

Regina smiled back and wrapped her legs around Emma’s waist. “You know … I enjoyed you spanking me. So much so in fact … that I’m already thinking of fantasies myself …”

Emma stared into her eyes and then back down to her lips: “Oh yeah? What are you thinking about?”

Regina grinned, answering before they both broke out into laughter: “Why, spanking _you_ , of course.”

 


	38. Vegetables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina, Henry and Emma go grocery shopping for a homemade dinner and a little tasting game to even the score between Henry's mothers.

 

It was just over a week since Regina and Emma had enjoyed in their spanking fiasco, and it had been as much time since they were left to their own devices for quite so long. Since then, it had been stolen moments of kisses and intimate touches in between family time and greeting one another in public.

Emma, however, had been invited twice before to dinner at the mansion, and figured it was her turn to invite Regina and Henry to _her_ place. Of course Henry and Regina came with their own concept for dinner.

That evening, Emma opened the door to a smirking Regina and eagerly smiling Henry. _Uh oh._

She invited them inside only to find out that they had decided it was Emma’s turn to try the blind taste test of hidden items in the picnic basket Regina had hidden behind her back. The smile in Regina’s eyes had Emma powerless to even fight the concept. She simply smiled back and accepted her fate – whatever horrible foods Regina and Henry might have her try.

Regina waltzed into the kitchen just behind Emma’s island counter with intent. Her medium-length dark hair tickled her shoulders in waves, and her pristine makeup only highlighted the natural beauty and symmetry of her face except for the one beautiful scar just above her lip. Emma let her eyes drop down to take in the dark navy pant suit Regina wore – clearing her throat and looking over to Henry to see the kid with one brow lifted. Making obvious he had caught her staring at his mom.

Emma laughed, shrugging, and Henry shook his head.

“Hey Kid, can you sneak me some cookies into that basket?” Emma asked none-too-quietly as she leaned over toward her darling son. He immediately found humor in her scheming, but before he could answer, Regina’s voice cut through the silence.

“I can hear you,” she said, taking out another item and cutting it, by the sounds of things. “And no, Miss Swan, you are not to try and persuade him. Henry, come help me with these. Miss Swan needs to kick up her feet in the living room.”

Emma smirked as she stood, inhaling as she watched Regina again, quickly joined by their son who hurried in next to her quietly and excitedly helped her cut _something_. Probably not the junk food Emma was craving. When she thought of her cravings, she spoke her thoughts to the mischievous duo taking over her kitchen: “Hey … any chance you have a burger and fries in there?”

“Not on your life,” Regina sassed, pointing over toward the living room couches with knife in-hand. Looking perhaps more intimidating than she was meaning. Emma winked and Regina rolled her eyes, glad that Emma finally did as she was told.

Emma sighed as she sunk down on her sofa, blowing air out from her lips to watch some reality TV when something covered her eyes. She tried not to react because she could feel just from the lack of tension that it was Henry casting something over her eyes – laughing. “What the h-”

“Language,” Regina reminded from the kitchen, still chopping something as Henry tied a strip of some sort of fabric over her eyes. “And yes, this is necessary. No TV. Certainly no trashy reality TV.”

“You guys can’t just blindfold me when you don’t like what I choose on TV,” Emma laughed, helping Henry to blindfold her when he struggled a little with all of her hair in the way. She pulled it over one shoulder and then jokingly swatted at him.

“Keep still!” he squealed, finally tying it in a knot behind her head, scurrying back to the kitchen with Regina. When he was gone, Emma only turned up the TV just to spite Regina’s efforts.

“You can’t even see it!” Regina scoffed, directing Henry on how to cut the radishes. She rolled her eyes when Emma pointed to the blindfold and shrugged, as if it somehow disabled her hearing.

No one heard the knock on the door over the sound of the TV. Thinking Emma was busy or alone when no one answered the door, Mary Margaret let herself into the apartment, pausing with the door swung open when Emma turned to the sound – blindfolded. Immediately, Mary Margaret covered her eyes with her entire arm, calling out to her daughter from the doorway: “Sorry! I didn’t see anything!”

“Ahem,” Regina said, unimpressed at the implication with Henry in the room – pulling Snow’s attention to the kitchen with only some worry before seeing Regina and Henry cooking. Wait, Henry? She scrunched her brows. “What’re you guys doing?”

“I think the better question is what are _you_ doing here?” Regina tried to tease but ended up just sounding as though she would prefer Snow to take about ten big steps back and close the door on her way out.

“I just forgot my phone,” she said, smiling when Henry smiled at her.

“We’re making Emma taste all kinds of stuff – secret stuff!” he beamed, showing Mary Margaret some of the items instead of listing them for Emma to hear. He enjoyed being sneaky, and Snow melted at the idea of such an adorable family activity. Suddenly she felt bad for assuming something so sexual upon seeing her daughter on the couch.

“That’s wonderful, Henry,” Snow smiled, grabbing her phone from the dining room table and slipping it into her pocket. “Well … sorry for interrupting.”

Regina was trying not to laugh at Emma’s mother’s assumptions, almost finished preparing the food. Instead of the natural humor she found in the situation, she put on her best simple smile. “Yes, have a good evening,” Regina answered, trying to ignore that Mary Margaret was beaming at her motherly look in the apron Emma had always refused to wear while cooking.

“We’ll be back for nine!” Mary Margaret smiled at last, letting herself out.

Emma had turned the TV off in the midst of her mother’s entrance, and heard Regina from the kitchen as Snow left: “Henry, go lock the door, will you? Heaven only knows who else might see fit to disturb us here.”

“Hey,” Emma laughed: “Are you insinuating this apartment is sketchy?”

“I’m _insinuating_ that you can never be too careful,” Regina answered, setting down her knife at last and untying her apron. Quietly, she teased just to Henry with a wink: “And there could be ogres here.”

“I heard that!” Emma shouted, setting Henry and Regina into giggles. It wasn’t often that Regina was able to enjoy the sweet enjoyment of mischief with her growing son. It lightened her smile and her spirits, finally helping to guide Emma over to the table with Henry. They sat beside Emma at the table and Henry was first in choosing a morsel of food to hand to Emma. He chose kale.

Regina almost laughed when he handed a leaf to Emma who pulled a face of disgust at the texture alone. She watched carefully as Emma put in her mouth what Regina ate on a regular basis.

As predicted, Emma’s face contorted with the bitter vegetable. Then Regina _did_ chuckle.

“It has no taste,” Emma coughed, still scrunching her face up. “But somehow it’s still awful! Eugh! Guyyys!”

“Guess what it is,” Regina instructed while Henry was busy laughing.

“Gross – is this some kind of nasty old salad?!” Emma whined, finally swallowing it with a pout on her lips.

Regina wanted to kiss her, but restrained herself as she looked among the other vegetables they had chosen. “I guess you could say it’s salad … should we give her the point, Henry?”

“Yeah, it’s kale,” he answered cheerily, grinning from ear-to-ear when he saw his mother’s first choice: tamarind. A sour fruit that Regina was certain Emma had never tried before.

“Alright, prepare yourself,” Regina smirked, handing Emma a small piece of tamarind. “The last thing I need is you choking and blaming me for it.”

Emma chuckled: “Gee thanks for the concern.” But she took the fruit all the same and popped it into her mouth somehow unafraid until the sour taste had her spitting out the piece of fruit on the table, coughing. “Jesus! What _was_ that?!”

“You have to eat it,” Henry giggled, which made Regina laugh even harder.

“I’ll give you another piece,” Regina chuckled, distracted when Emma grumbled something about the table being clean – diving forward and licking it off the table. Regina tried not to find the act as alluring as it was – clearing her throat. With the grin she spotted on Emma’s face through all the wincing, she realized Emma had _meant_ to affect her. _Oh, this means war_.

While Henry’s next choice was the radish he had chosen at the store, Regina’s next choice was eggplant. She knew Emma’s dislike for strange textures, and opted to feed it to Emma so she wouldn’t have a chance to feel it first.

“Open up,” she smiled, trying to sound as platonic as possible when she had uttered that very same thing before in different circumstances.

Emma smiled and opened her mouth, bracing herself against the table when Regina popped in a piece of something that immediately Emma disliked. She kept from chewing it, just rolling it around her mouth with her tongue in disgust. “Eugh …”

“Well?” Regina chuckled, crossing her arms. “What is it?”

“A thponge?” Emma mispronounced with the vegetable still lingering over her tongue.

“No, I haven’t fed you a sponge,” Regina laughed. “As funny as that would be ...”

When Emma spat out the piece _at_ Regina, Henry shrieked with laughter and Regina simply arched her brow at the blindfolded woman. “You are a little vulnerable to be spitting food at me, Miss Swan …”

_Uh oh._ Emma realized Regina could easily tease her, and regretted her little stunt. She tried smiling innocently, but couldn’t tell if Regina had forgotten her misbehaviour. It wasn’t until Henry and Regina had fed her all the vegetables pieces – when Henry excused himself to use the washroom – that Regina got even with her.

Henry had just gone when Emma went to remove her blindfold and found her wrist caught in Regina’s grasp, guiding her hands back down into her lap. Her hands joined quickly by another that quickly found its way between her legs. Emma sucked in a breath and instinctively spread her legs under the table, frozen with desperation for Regina’s incredible, warm touch.

Regina’s breath warmed her ear before Emma could gather a sense of Regina’s proximity, weak with the low voice whispered into her ear: “And here I thought you swallowed, _Miss Swan_ …”

“Regina …” Emma whispered back, gasping when Regina’s slender fingers rubbed along the seam of her jeans – massaging her over her clothes in the very spot that made her most sensitive. Emma sat on edge as Regina controlled her breathing through touch.

“And here I thought you wanted _me_ to swallow for you _later_ …” Regina grinned almost silently into her lover’s ear, refraining from kissing Emma’s neck because she couldn’t get carried away. She stared at the look on Emma’s face and was pleased that she had properly struck the sheriff completely speechless.

When Henry was walking back from the washroom, he stepped back into the open loft to see Emma blindly feeling around the table – bringing piece of random vegetable after piece into her mouth. Had she totally lost her mind? He looked to his other mother who was laughing delightfully, and he smiled at Regina’s pure sense of joy.

“Oh – Henry,” Regina smiled at him sincerely. “Your mother here has decided she hasn’t been very fair to our choices, so she thought she’d see if she could guess them all, I suppose.”

“All of them at once?” he asked, thoroughly entertained by Emma’s reactions to the horrible mix of vegetables. He ended up telling Emma the names of the mystery vegetables she hadn’t guessed, and lifted the blindfold off her without warning on his way back to the kitchen. Immediately Emma covered her eyes and slowly blinked her way back to sight.

“That was fun, Moms,” Henry called from the kitchen, already sorting out the ingredients for their real dinner in the kitchen.

Regina lingered at the table for another moment, smiling at the adorable pout on Emma’s lips: “Well, at least you’ve had your servings of vegetables for the day.”

Emma glared at her sexually – wanting to punish Regina for the sass she spouted. And when Regina caught the look, she hurried off to the kitchen. The last thing she needed was to feel awkwardly aroused as she cooked.

Emma gladly left the mischievous twosome to cook while she watched TV, insisting that she had suffered enough. She yawned and relaxed on the sofa for their late dinner for so long that she actually drifted off. She woke up with a warm hand on her shoulder, and fingers pulling her hair over her shoulder that she recognized – Regina’s gentle hands.

“Emma, Dear. Wake up,” was spoken over the back of the couch, and Emma roused to the sound of that heavenly voice. She slowly sat up and inhaled with glee – real food! She could smell it! They had made her hamburgers and fries after all, albeit a healthier version of each than she might have chosen for herself. She gave Henry a big hug for slaving away over such a luxurious meal – scooping him off his feet and only setting him back down when he screamed with laughter.

“Emma! Stop!” he cheered, finally let down to his feet with a lasting smile.

Hugging Regina was next, but she didn’t embarrass Regina by lifting her off her feet. The moment was softer – wrapping arms around Regina’s waist and simply standing tall to lift Regina off her feet for a single, gentler moment. Henry smiled at the tenderness and affection his mothers had for each other.

“Hamburgers,” Emma smirked, one arm still slipped around Regina’s waist as she turned to the table. “Yum – my favorite!”

“It was my choice,” Henry smiled, “But Mom decided to make it all healthy and stuff, so don’t blame me if you don’t like it, K?”

Regina rolled her eyes and Emma simply pulled the mayor in at her side. “I’ll like it. Thank you – both of you. I don’t know if I’ve ever had homemade burgers like this.”

“Never?” Regina asked, ushering Emma to sit at the table beside Henry and across from her. “I have trouble believing that.”

“Well, maybe this won’t be the last,” Emma answered simply, beaming at her family. With the looks Henry and Regina were giving her, she knew it wouldn’t be the last Emma-centric family meal they would share. Every birthday, every time Regina would spoil her, it would be the same concept, and Emma felt spoiled just imagining such a thing.

She started in on her meal and found that she didn’t dislike the substitutions to an old favorite. If she lived with Regina and Henry, she would certainly need to get used to healthier versions of the foods she liked. It was a thought Emma didn’t find she minded. Regina was taking care of her, one meal at a time. They were showing Henry that health was important, and although Emma had never been particularly knowledgeable in that arena, she found that she was glad they could offer that to him together.

Wait – living together? She cleared her throat so as not to choke at her own thought process. Emma Swan was certainly not the type to move too quickly in a relationship, but suddenly she felt like her desires were too ambitious. Too soon.

“Are you okay?” Henry asked, calming Emma immediately. Her son was concerned for her. He loved her, even after all they had been through and all he had learned about both his mothers. He loved them both, and they loved him wildly in return. He was a miracle to Emma, suddenly thinking back to her pregnancy in prison. She had always worried he might not make it or that perhaps he would be given to an unfit family somewhere along the way. But he was safe and happy and back in her life. Emma couldn’t have been happier.

“I … I’m okay,” she answered so sentimentally that Regina understood she had been gone to her memories.

“Was your day at school a success, Henry?” Regina started, distracting their son and giving Emma time to collect herself. “How did your math quiz go?”

Emma listened, losing herself once again to thoughts of waking every day to Regina and Henry. Just then she realized she hadn’t ever slept the night through with Regina. It immediately felt like an injustice, and she found herself staring in earnest across the table at Regina.

When Regina felt it, she tossed a loving glance over to Emma, having some idea of the sentiment. She had been longing to be closer with Emma since they had found their way back to one another. But it wasn’t the time to stare at Emma. She pulled her eyes back to Henry who was describing perimeter and area concepts that worked for him, adoring her son’s work ethic.

They ate together as a family, but Emma and Regina insisted Henry had done more than his fair share and allowed him to play on the X-Box David had bought solely for his grandson’s benefit. Henry eagerly sprung over to the living room and planted himself on the couch with the controller in his hand, selecting and loading his game before Emma could even finish clearing the table. It entertained both his mothers that he could be so mature one moment and so boyish the next.

“We’ve lost him,” Regina teased, standing at the sink to wash the dishes Emma handed her.

Emma stopped beside her, smiling at the woman she loved. But then she bowed her head, remembering Regina had never returned the sentiment.

“I hope my healthy additives to your digestion haven’t offended you,” Regina teased sweetly, glancing over at Emma while scrubbing one of their plates.

“No … it was really amazing.”

“I hope you mean that,” Regina smiled, setting yet another dish in the other compartment of the sink. “Do you … wanna rinse?”

Emma chuckled and slipped around Regina closer than was necessary, wanting more from Regina than she knew how to ask for. She wanted Regina in more sense than one – in more ways than she had initially imagined. Regina was beautiful and sexy and appetizingly dominant, but more than all that, Regina had an affectionate heart and quirks that made her very special. She had a past she had worked through for the better, and she was a very loving partner.

That was it, Emma thought. She wanted to be more than Regina’s lover. She rinsed and dried the dishes deep in thought.

Regina could tell Emma was struggling with something deep-seeded in her mind, and she let the beautiful blonde work it out while they washed the dishes together in silence.

“You guys are boring without me,” Henry teased, running over to the fridge to grab a bottle of Gatorade Mary Margaret had bought for his visits. When he had retrieved the red beverage, Emma’s distant expression was gone, and she was shaking her head at him.

“Yeah yeah. Just get back to your game there, Kid.”

Regina finished by washing her hands as their son hurried back to the living room, eyeing Emma up once more before throwing the extra dish towel on the counter. There was something sad in Emma’s expression, and she longed to figure it out. She longed to fix it.

Was Emma becoming bored with her? The tease became a real concern as Regina wondered if Emma perhaps wanted to see less of her.

Taking Regina completely by surprise, Emma read into her eyes at the uncertainty of all of their time together, and answered aloud: “If anything, I’d like to be spending _more_ time with you, Regina …”

It was the first time Emma had made so obvious that she could read Regina like that. It was the first time Regina made obvious that she was struck by that. In awe of Emma’s ability to read her. But then again, she could read Emma too. When Regina focused on the way Emma dropped her eyes, slunk her shoulders back and looked right into her, she understood. Emma was insecure about their arrangement as of late. And she was saying she wanted to be spending more time with her? Suddenly Regina understood. The apartment was becoming a little cumbersome, and they had such little private time together.

As if to punctuate Regina’s thoughts, there was a sudden knock on the door and Regina and Emma took a step apart as Mary Margaret let herself and David into the apartment. “Knock knock.”

“Hello,” David teased too, and Regina couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Emma’s parents’ ridiculous efforts to announce themselves.

“We have got to get you out of here,” Regina muttered to Emma, just loud enough for the uncertain blonde to hear. It was a hint that had Emma immediately alert. Had Regina understood her? Could they converse in looks and looks alone?

“Charmings,” Regina said with the best smile she could manage, leaning against the counter as David went over to say hello to Henry and join him in his game.

“Hey, Hunny,” Snow beamed, grabbing Emma into a large hug, smiling at Regina over her shoulder, too. It was so obvious the sheriff and mayor made each other happy that she could no longer disapprove with the simple reason of her own discomfort. She was happy for her daughter, and she intended to start showing her support. “What do you say Henry stays over here tonight and you go back with Regina?”

Emma pulled back with surprise: “Really?”

“Absolutely,” Mary Margaret hummed, rubbing her daughter’s back and drawing back to look at her again. “You look a little glum, Sweetie. And we all know that there is one person who never fails to cheer you up.”

Emma blushed and Regina smirked, crossing her arms as she watched the interaction between mother and daughter.

“So why don’t you two head out of here?” Snow smiled, earning some respect from Regina who had assumed Snow had never been able to come to terms with the time they spent alone. There the woman was, encouraging them. “Go on, Henry’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” Emma said with a smile and a nod, appreciating her mother’s gesture more than she could say.

“I love you, Sweetheart,” Snow beamed again, giving Emma one last hug, hearing a sincere “Love you too” over her shoulder.

Regina watched, standing to her full height to think back to the last time Emma had told her she loved her. Regina hadn’t replied. She hadn’t been ready. Was she finally ready? Was she ready to admit that she had loved Emma all along?

“Call me tomorrow morning when he’s up,” Emma smiled to her mother. “We’ll come pick him up for school.”

“No no, let me do that,” Snow smiled again, somehow endlessly happy. Regina thought for once that she hadn’t given enough credit to Mary Margaret after all, seeing slivers of the feistier Snow in her with each passing moment. “I haven’t walked him to school in ages.”

“Okay,” Emma shrugged. “Thanks again.”

“Thank you,” Regina cut in, feeling as if she should hug Snow, and yet unwilling at the same time. Regina hugging Snow? What had the world come to? No, she certainly couldn’t be seen doing _that_. Not yet anyway.

“Get outta here,” Mary Margaret chuckled, watching the two women grab their things and call out their goodbyes to Henry who was too involved in his game to reply.

Emma left the apartment, locking it behind her with Regina waiting at her side. She turned, saw the tenderness returned in Regina’s eyes, and relaxed immediately. Maybe the evening would prove to be more insightful than she thought.

 


	39. Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snow surprisingly offered to look after Henry to give Regina and Emma some time alone, and the couple find some interesting ways to spend the time.

 

“So what the hell was that?” Regina asked once they’d seated themselves in Emma’s car for the adult-only ride to Regina’s place. “With Snow. Why was that so … easy?”

“I guess she’s taken her time and she’s come to terms with us.”

Regina blinked out the window while Emma started the car, sighing thoughtfully. “I suppose that’s … possible. Seems a bit strange though.”

“She sees that you make me happy,” Emma said seriously, exciting Regina with possibility.

She made Emma _happy_? Truly happy? It was a strange and satisfying feeling to hear the words said aloud. Regina hadn’t heard anything like that in far too long.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Emma teased, driving almost the entire way back to Regina’s place in silence. “So what for dinner? Pizza?” she smiled as she pulled into the driveway. Grinning when Regina whacked her.

“Imbecile.”

“What? We’re alone at last. Now we can binge on what we actually _want_.”

“Did you think _Henry’s_ been monitoring your eating habits all this time?” Regina chuckled, rolling her eyes in a way so familiar and predictable that Emma melted.

Feeling drawn closer, Emma leaned over toward Regina, tugging gently on the pristine collar of Regina’s black jacket. “Come on, Baby. Gimme some sugar.”

“ _Sugar_? Oh lord.”

Emma laughed and claimed the kiss, laughing all the way up to the house where she teased the keys out of Regina’s hands and let them inside.

“This isn’t your house, but yes. Just let yourself inside I suppose,” Regina sassed, shutting and locking the door behind them. She was preparing herself for a night of fiery teasing and rough sex, but in fact what they began was something altogether different. With all of the extra time alone, they didn’t rush into bed. Emma first took her coat and they sat with Emma in her colorful socks and Regina in stockings in the kitchen, picking drinks and laughing about past misunderstandings. It wasn’t until Emma suggested they cuddle on the couch that Regina yearned for something decidedly more intimate.

“How do you feel about baths, Miss Swan …?”

Emma humorously raised a brow. “Baths, you say?”

“Yes, do you enjoy baths?”

“I don’t usually … but something tells me if I had a little company …”

Regina blushed, looking down into her wine glass with her fitted blouse draping elegantly over her shoulders. “Emma …”

“Oh, come on. I’ll even keep my hands to myself.”

“Liar.”

“Okay, that was a lie, but I _will_ try to behave.”

They entered the properly up-kept upper master bedroom of Regina’s mansion without a word. It still wasn’t a room in which Emma felt completely comfortable, but just seeing it gave the sheriff tingles of splendid memories. Emma subconsciously licked her lips as she followed Regina into the attached washroom toward the soaker tub. They wordlessly eyed each other and undressed in a somewhat anxious fashion.

Emma wondered if Regina had ever had a bath with any of her other lovers, but she didn’t ask. Emma herself had never tried it. She couldn’t help but smile – however – when Regina stepped into the tub first and started the water for them.

When the shower overhead started to pour down, Emma furrowed her brows. She was a spectator to the misty halo covering Regina before the cream-white backsplash surrounding the tub and shower. She was entranced by the way every muscle in Regina’s shoulders and arms seemed to spring to action at the cascade of water – wetting her hair and then pulling back to motion over to Emma.

“Come on – it’s just water.”

“I … thought we were having a bath.”

“Well, I don’t know about you but I don’t like to step into a bath with my dirty feet and then soak in it for an hour. I prefer to be clean first and then use the bath to _relax_.”

Emma blinked – she hadn’t been bathing properly all her life apparently. _All that preparation? And the bath would last for an hour?_

Regardless of her uncertainty, Emma did as Regina asked, and was quickly covered in little pelts of what felt like rain water soaking her naked body. Emma laughed when Regina’s hands lowered over her back appreciatively: “Having fun?”

“Yes, I am,” Regina stated matter-of-factly, which soothed a nervous sheriff. “Is there a reason you’re so tense? Am I overstepping a boundary for you, Dear? I would have thought that sharing our bodies was the big milestone.” She hadn’t thought showering would be a hard subject, so she listened carefully as she softly moved the palms of her hands over Emma’s warming skin.

“No, it’s not that. Not at all. I’m just a little self-conscious that you’re some kind of bath expert, and I apparently don’t really know how to do it properly …”

The inexperience was something for which Emma counted herself quite lucky for later on, leaning back against Regina in the deep-set tub with hot water lapping at her shoulders while Regina eased her through the process, spoiling her. Emma’s head was tilted back on Regina’s shoulder as the water calmed around their bodies, influencing deep breaths in and out. What had begun as a ruse for some sort of sexual antics turned smoothly into a relaxing peace they found together. Regina seemed to enjoy encouraging the relaxation from Emma.

After a very cathartic half hour of relative silence together – switching positions when Emma asked for a turn to be ‘big spoon’ – the couple ended their bath with a chaste kiss and warm, fuzzy towels.

“Who would’ve thought we’d spend our first real evening without Henry just cuddling up like an old married couple, huh?” Emma teased, tucking her towel just under her arms to watch Regina clasp her around her arms like a child. The sight was too adorable to pass up, so Emma quickly went to work throwing her arms around Regina and whispering teases into her wet hair.

“If you’re trying to start something, teasing me is not the way,” Regina sassed. “I’m a grown woman.”

“Mmm … grown.”

Regina rolled her eyes.

“You know …” Emma smirked, tugging Regina closer by the towel that quickly fell in a messy pile on the floor. “We _are_ all alone … the house all to ourselves … What’s something we couldn’t do with Henry here?”

“Well, we’re naked, so _most things_ , Dear.”

Emma laughed: “Okay, well take some time and think about something you want. I’ll think on it, too.” With a wink, Emma gave Regina’s body another look and then walked into the bedroom to look through some of Regina’s clothes that had been offered to her from earlier. _Silk pyjamas. Mmm._

It took until after a quiet dinner for Regina to admit to something she had wanted to try for quite some time. Emma was just finishing with dinner when Regina set down her utensils and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin. Placing it leisurely on the table beside her empty plate, Regina cleared her throat and met Emma’s eyes with some difficulty.

“I … have been thinking about dildos.”

Emma almost choked on her steak, half-laughing and half-coughing until she had spit out the morsel of food she had been trying to swallow.

“Sorry …” Regina finished apologetically, looking back down at her lap. “I’ve just … done some research since then-”

“Using your personal computer, I hope,” Emma muttered teasingly.

“-And I … yes, on my own computer. On my locked laptop, mind you.”

“Well thank goodness for _that_ ,” Emma chuckled.

“Yes.”

“Sorry I interrupted,” Emma smiled, trying desperately not to tease Regina about her curiosity. _Don’t scare her off, be cool. Don’t start panting or jumping across the table. Cool, Emma. Be cool._ “… And?”

“Since you spanked me, and you told me about wearing one,” Regina clarified neatly, folding her hands in her lap but not daring to look up at Emma just then. “… I must admit, that … has its appeals.”

Emma couldn’t help but grin.

“I don’t know a lot about them, but … I just … wanted to ask some questions. Seeing as you’re the one with more experience in this capacity.”

The way Regina wrung her hands together was so endearing that Emma managed to keep her teasing at bay as she reached over to her side and took one of Regina’s hands in hers. “Hey, anything you wanna ask me, you can, alright? I’m sorry I was teasing … it’s just that I didn’t exactly expect this and it’s … kinda hot. Like, _really_ hot.”

“That I don’t know what I’m talking about?” Regina asked, raising a quizzical brow.

“Yeah, actually.”

“You’re making me _more_ nervous. I hope you’re happy with yourself.”

Emma gave Regina’s hand a squeeze and extended a compromise to the lovely, curious mayor. “I’ll tell you what – you can ask me anything and I’ll answer it honestly. Okay? Anything, really.”

“Okay,” Regina challenged with crossed arms in a way that somehow made Emma regret her previous claim: “Fine then. Tell me about the first time you used one on another woman.”

Emma went red: “You … you wanna hear about that?”

Regina let out a small laugh in return: “Yes. I asked, didn’t I? And as I recall … you promised to answer to anything I requested.”

Emma swallowed hard: “Okay … uh … I … I had my first experience with uh … with this girl that was kinda my girlfriend at the time …”

Regina couldn’t help but smirk at Emma’s discomfort – the dissolution of Emma’s confidence a boost to her own. Perhaps it wasn’t such a perilous topic after all … Regina decided to press a little further.

“Oh? And what part did the … appendage play then, Miss Swan?”

“Ohhh no, don’t Miss Swan me right now!” Emma laughed back, fidgeting nervously with both clammy hands. “Seriously, Regina … you know what that does to me.”

“Are you _blushing_?”

Emma’s cheeks tinted impossibly redder.

“I thought you were very experienced with dildos and the like?” Regina prodded affectionately, chuckling when Emma arched a brow at _her_ for a change. “I’m sorry, but this is just too good an invitation to pass up. Tell me a story if you’d like. No pressure.”

“There hasn’t been a question yet.”

Regina grinned: “Fine. Then how does it … feel?”

“To wear it or to take it?”

Regina felt herself flush with embarrassment and the beginnings of quick and steady arousal but she tried desperately to appear unfazed. “To … wear it.”

“Ah. Well, now _that_ I can answer. It’s kind of like this feeling of power washes over me because I suddenly have two hands free, you know?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea, I assure you.”

Emma chuckled: “Sorry, right. I just mean … it’s like this whole new feeling. It’s kinda weird, to be honest, but it’s also really fun. And the most surprising thing I remember from my first experience wearing one was how difficult it was to use! I was so tired like ten minutes in that I felt like my arms were gonna give out!”

Regina admired Emma’s expression with a gentle smile and stroked her arm to encourage Emma to continue with her personal story.

“I mean, I’ve improved since then – obviously.”

“Yes,” Regina grinned: “Obviously.”

“But Jesus! The first time was exhausting. The first few times! I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to get into positions and stuff. I mean, it still can be hard. I guess it all depends what you’re doing with it.”

“And what would you like to be _doing with it_ with _me_?”

“… Well, maybe some day I’ll show you.”

“Mmm,” Regina teased, standing from her seat with a little sway to her hips, sauntering over to the stairs. “Some day, hmm …?”

Emma watched the tease with a dropped jaw and a suddenly-racing pulse.

“Well, I’ll just be upstairs if you need me … wondering when my princess will teach me all about this magical toy I’ve been hearing about …”

Emma swallowed hard – helpless to simply watch Regina ascend the stairs and disappear down the hall. She watched in silence for so long that Regina called out: “If I fall asleep waiting, you are not to wake me!”

So Emma scurried up the stairs in a mess of limbs to stand in Regina’s bedroom doorway with both hands on the door frame, panting.

There Regina was, sitting primly on the edge of her large bed. Shirt discarded. Skirt pulling taught around her crossed legs. “See something you like, Miss Swan?”

Helplessly, Emma walked into the room and stood next to Regina, sinking to her knees to run hands up from mayoral ankles to easily opening knees: “Please … tell me you bought a dildo and harness out of curiosity sake …?”

“I’m afraid not …” Regina teased, moaning with pleasure when Emma dropped her head in her lap. Emma’s open desperation was incredibly arousing, so Regina decided against teasing her any longer, long fingers stroking through Emma’s long, wavy blonde hair. “Well, not _one_ dildo …”

Suddenly Emma’s head jerked up – serious green eyes wide. The clear question in them set another ring of Regina’s laughter to fill the room.

“Well, my dear …” Regina cooed, scooting back on the bed with immense satisfaction: “How is a girl to know what she likes unless she tries a few things on for size?”

The next whimpered sound out of Emma’s mouth – as humorous as it was – only gathered a moan as Regina was quickly thereafter held under a very hungry saviour.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who comment! I am continuing to post amidst some very busy times, so this is for the vocal fans out there! I'm already working on the next chapter. Thank you for your kind support and for being so patient.


	40. Toys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma explore together.

Regina kissed her girlfriend passionately in bed as the topic of _toys_ hung in the air, wondering to herself suddenly if Emma was considered her _girlfriend_. Were they girlfriends? It was only just then that she questioned the title most assumed in modern times instead of asking one another outright. The word certainly didn’t seem to accurately describe their relationship, but Regina was at a loss for another more powerful word. She pulled back from the kiss at the question-in-mind and Emma messily kissed her cheek in place of her lips.

“Emma,” Regina chuckled, her shoulders pinned to the bed as Emma’s lips wandered down her neck. A very curious tongue distracted Regina thoroughly until Emma pulled back, panting down at her.

“… Where is it?” Emma moaned, biting her lip and then moaning again at Regina’s splash of dark hair on the bedspread.

“Where is what?” Regina all but cackled, bringing an equally-teasing grin to Emma’s lips.

“Don’t be coy with me now, Woman. Your collection. Whatever you bought to explore – the toys!”

Regina laughed and gestured over to her closet. “It’s in the hidden shelf under the shoe wall.”

_Shoe wall?_ Emma scoffed to herself, not even attempting to tease Regina in the state they were currently in – not wanting to risk the mood. She leapt off the bed and followed Regina’s instructions to find a long white plank under the shoes that she pressed on in order to loosen the magnet and drop open a bottom, hidden shelf.

“Holy fuck – this is some next level shit right here.”

“Language,” Regina purred from the bed, reminding Emma of what exactly she was doing there. It wasn’t time to make jokes – it was time to _fuck_. Emma giddily drew out the toys Regina had explained she’d bought out of sheer curiosity. There were two dildos, a harness, three vibrators, two variations of lubrication and some rope. Emma furrowed a brow at her findings, but scooped up only the dildos, lubrication, and harness before taking off her own pants and tank top, but leaving on her bra and boy-short underwear. With a smile, Emma hurried back to the bed with the moaning, naked woman propped up on it, simmering back at her albeit anxiously.

“I’m back,” Emma announced needlessly, heart racing at the sight of a very nervous Regina. “Are you … d’you wanna wear this thing first, maybe? You look a little nervous, Baby.”

Regina eyed the toys and then lifted her gaze to Emma’s warm, comforting greens. “No, I really would like to try it, I just … I’m a little confused and I don’t want to offend you.”

“Offend me?” Emma chuckled, eyeing the harness before stepping into the leather straps carefully and tightening them around her hips in what looked to be an effortless fashion. Regina was silently impressed. “Even if you _do_ laugh at it, I can always just use another one. How’re you gonna offend me?”

“Well,” Regina explained, licking her lips: “I’m the one who brought it up tonight, wanting to try a dildo … I suppose I’m worried you’ll get the wrong impression. It’s not that I’m not satisfied or anything-“

“Hey, I know – I’m the one who brought it up, remember?” Emma interrupted with a wide, easy smile. “Plus, I totally get it. And any couple – gay, bi, straight or whatever – likes to try new things. Why not? We live in a modern time. Why not experiment a little? I think toys are fun, and the more we explore, the better. Okay? Nothing to be ashamed of.”

Regina’s heart raced as soon as she saw Emma in boy short panties with the harness fully tightened to her hips. Emma’s posture changed as the smaller red dildo was fed into the o-ring that snapped into place with three small clicks. Regina watched the contrast of dark leather against Emma’s fair skin tone and light grey underthings, and the way Emma leaned back against the new, unassuming weight of the toy. Her hips jutted out just the smallest bit.

“I guess I … I don’t think you’d like me to, umm …” Regina started nervously, stumbling over her words as she sat up in bed, staring down at the toy as she sat back on her feet, nervously licking her lips.

_Does she mean suck it? Because if she says that right now I am going to fucking melt …_

“Regina, it’s okay,” Emma soothed, climbing up onto the bed to lie on her side next to Regina so as not to be quite as intimidating. “You’re curious about it and that’s why we’re doing it. Do you … still wanna have a little fun with it or is it too weird? In a non-penis-penis kind of way?”

Daring a single touch to the toy that seemed to somehow take on a whole new concept once worn, Regina’s breath caught in her throat. She had never really imagined it the way it was – so real, and Emma so completely confident with it. “I … I don’t know what to say.”

“I’m just glad you’re not disgusted or something,” Emma moaned, leaning over to her lover to place a loving kiss on Regina’s shoulder. And then another, slower kiss up by her neck. “Do you want this? If you would rather I take it off and we go slow, we can totally do that. Please just tell me what you want, you gorgeous, sexy woman ...”

“No, don’t stop,” Regina whispered, her hand on Emma’s thigh as they both laid on their sides, facing each other. “I like this … it’s just been a long time since I did anything so … new.”

“Okay,” Emma moaned, releasing her tongue out under Regina’s ear and then nipping at the ear lobe.

“Just … go slow, okay?” Regina requested in as strong a voice as she could manage, sensitive to the fact that she was so naïve about something which Emma was apparently quite comfortable.

“Mmm,” Emma moaned into her neck, carefully turning to lean over Regina while also being careful not to lie on top of her before Regina was ready to feel the toy between them. Emma leisurely kissed and licked Regina’s neck just the way she knew her lover would like. “D’you like that …?”

The gravelly sound to Emma’s voice had Regina moaning in response, hands combing into Emma’s thick blonde hair. “Mmm … yes …”

“Has it been a while, Baby?”

The pet name that otherwise would perturb Regina made her hopelessly more aroused with Emma’s hot breath in her ear. _A while? Since anything thick was inside of her?_ “You could say that …”

“I don’t wanna hurt you,” Emma panted, so highly aroused she felt she could fall to pieces at any moment in an accidental but very enjoyable orgasm. “Mmm … these legs, these breasts …”

“Shhh, we have to be quiet,” Regina hushed, taking Emma’s face in her hands until she remembered they were home alone.

“Oh we’re so not being quiet tonight,” Emma teased, kissing a slow path down Regina’s body. “I am gonna make _sure_ of that!”

“Emma!” Regina whispered – a playful plea that went ignored while Emma saw to Regina’s pleasure. Emma was quickly kissing down a tanned, toned stomach, laying Regina fully on her back. With great care and while keeping steady eye contact, Emma lowered herself with a hand on each of Regina’s legs, keeping them apart.

“You just tell me if anything gets too much and I’m gonna relax you,” Emma whispered, lowering her mouth. Lowering … lowering … lowering …

Before Regina could even gasp, Emma’s mouth had hungrily closed over her, exploring and delving inside just often enough to hear Regina gasp with each mischievous thrust. It was a while before Emma was beating out a soft but consistent rhythm on her clit, but as she zoned in on her target, Regina yelped for a moment, encouraging Emma when the woman looked up: “Yes … it’s good … please don’t stop …”

Emma spread Regina’s legs again and played her tongue all over Regina, teasing, flicking, and slipping inside. At one point, Regina felt the tongue must have split into two, gripping madly at the sheets and whimpering at the sensations. Emma always _had_ been experienced at eating, she supposed. Did the skill translate from the literal act? Regina had to wonder.

“… So wet … So fucking good …” Emma moaned from between Regina’s legs, losing herself in the taste. She kept up on her knees, folded over herself to lick Regina and keep the toy from pushing against either of them. Slowly and while keeping her eyes up on the beautiful brunette, Emma teased Regina with one of her fingers. When Regina just appeared more excited, Emma took that as her cue and started fingering Regina, preparing her for their fun. “Mmm …”

Regina writhed around with so much on her mind and nothing at the very same time. She ran her own hands up through her hair and then down her body, into Emma’s hair. She smiled, she hissed with pleasure, she whimpered. The way Emma was working her up could have been criminal.

“You taste … so fucking good …”

“I do not …” Regina whispered with a dark blush, prompting Emma to slip her tongue in place of her finger, earning a gasp immediately followed with a purr. “Emma! … Mmm … What’re you doing …?”

“It’ll feel better if you cum first,” Emma moaned, taking her time pleasing Regina.

“No, no … After …”

“Are you getting impatient, baby?” Emma teased gently, crawling to lean over Regina at last.

“No … I just … I’m curious, that’s all,” Regina panted. “And … a little nervous. I’m worried I won’t be able to … you know, climax. As easily.”

Emma smiled down at the goddess underneath her – self conscious – and took a whole minute to get and keep eye contact with the brunette. “Do you want me to show you how it feels, or would you like me to take this thing off?”

“You can quit giving me an _out_ ,” Regina blushed. “This is becoming ridiculous.”

“I won’t stop asking until you look comfortable.”

Regina sighed and put both her hands on Emma’s shoulders, smiling despite her nervousness. “Thank you. I guess I _do_ need that, but I hate that I do …”

“I don’t hate it. I like knowing you trust me, and I take that trust very seriously. I can’t wait to try this with you, but in a more serious sense, I could totally wait. You’d just look so amazing being pleasured with this thing is all.”

Regina smirked: “Oh, is that all?”

Then it was Emma’s turn to blush, leaning all her weight on her right hand so her left could come up and brush all of her hair over her right shoulder. “Okay, I’m gonna take this off.”

“No!” Regina gasped, looking into her girlfriend’s eyes and then easily pushing Emma off of her to lean over the stronger woman with both hands by Emma’s relaxed shoulders. “I mean … no, please. Let me do it.”

In stunned silence, Emma watched as Regina peeled off all of her clothes and crawled over the toy, staring down at it. Taking in deep, even breaths, Emma swallowed back a moan when Regina reached out and closed one hand around the toy.

“It’s made of silicon, the package said …”

Emma nodded: “Yeah … lots of them are …”

Regina frowned: “But it doesn’t feel very good.”

“Y-yeah … i-it’s not wet or anything …” Emma choked out, “Not yet.”

Interrupting Regina’s next question, Emma blurted out: “But that’s why I brought the lube! … It’s … to keep everything comfortable …”

Regina gave Emma a little smile and looked around the bed for what Emma was speaking about. “Yes, here we go.” She sat back and looked at the toy, but then frowned somewhat, as if she were displeased with something. “This all feels a bit strange, this brightly-colored thing … the strange material. Are you sure it will feel good?”

Emma was sweating. She was sure she was already sweating with anticipation to _show_ Regina just how good it could feel. “If it doesn’t … we can stop, I promise.”

That made Regina smile, taking just a few drops from the bottle and analyzing it on her fingers. “This isn’t how I remember it.”

That piqued Emma’s interest. “You’ve used it before?”

“Yes, with suitors, but it’s been … some time, I must admit.”

Half of Emma wanted to laugh, and the other half turned green with jealousy. Mixed, she finally squeaked out: “Well, it’ll help.”

“If you say so,” Regina chuckled, coating the dildo carefully and moving up, straddling Emma’s legs on full, naked display. Locking eyes with Emma as she reached the woman’s thighs. She grinned when Emma looked like an utter mess. “Maybe I should be asking _you_ if you wanna stop …?”

“Nope … it’s just … taking a lot of control not to … move or anything,” Emma explained honestly, relaxing somewhat when Regina softly touched her fingertips to the woman’s stomach.

“Relax, Sheriff … I won’t hurt you. I’m just taking you for a ride.”

Emma groaned.

“Was that cruel …?”

Emma grinned and finally trusted herself to put her hands on Regina’s hips when she felt the woman adjusting to impale herself.

Flushed with newfound confidence, Regina arched forward and watched as she pushed the toy into herself slowly but surely. It felt uncomfortable at first, but there was a sudden feeling of fullness with the slight discomfort that made her forget about the awkward-seeming red toy. “Mmm … that’s … not so bad …” Regina whispered, finally trusting herself to sit down completely on Emma, moaning.

Emma gritted her teeth as she watched, fascinated by the many fleeting expressions on her lover’s face. She so enjoyed experiencing the toy with Regina through the brunette’s eyes, reading the woman’s body for cues and doing everything she could to make it a memorable exploration.

Regina slowly lifted her hips and lowered them down at an even slower pace for another few minutes until the discomfort had left her face completely. “It’s … a lot. Is it supposed to be a lot?”

“You’re just … very tight …” Emma explained as technically as she could, her hips just aching to thrust up and show Regina how it could feel.

“Is that a bad thing?”

Emma glared at the seductive woman who was – of course – grinning at her. “Damnit, Regina, I’m practically in pain here. Can I move now? I’ll be very gentle unless you ask.”

“Fine,” Regina moaned, leaning over Emma with her naked breasts pressed to Emma’s bra-clad breasts. “But I’m not easily impressed, Dear.”

“Good thing I know what I’m doing then,” Emma teased back, moving her feet to brace onto the bed with her hands at Regina’s hips – moving slowly at first and reading into Regina’s eyes. “Look at me … Don’t close your eyes … I wanna make sure you’re enjoying this …”

Regina felt herself go embarrassingly breathless at the effortless way Emma had grabbed her and started pistoning the toy in and out of her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Regina leaned her weight forward onto her hands, and felt Emma’s hips meeting her inner thighs with every thrust – a wet slapping sound accompanying the action that sounded utterly _filthy_ and absolutely _splendid_. Regina shut her eyes in surprising bliss until she remembered what Emma had asked her, snapping her eyes open again and telling her girlfriend everything with one look: _You’re too good at this_.

Emma took her breaths in stride, saving her energy for the finale as she leisurely used the bed for leverage in her small thrusts that Regina seemed to very quickly enjoy. It took her about three minutes for Regina to start appearing tired of holding herself up, and when she did, Emma rolled them so that Regina laid flat on her back. Emma braced herself over Regina, spread her own legs, and pushed Regina’s thighs together – pinning her knees and rhythmically thrusting again at the same pace. Eyes locked on Regina’s.

“Oh! … God! … Don’t stop … doing that …”

Emma felt a surge of pride, leaning forward a little harder into her thrusts and keeping her stomach tight to bare the brunt of her rigorously steady rhythm. She couldn’t help but smirk at Regina – the curious woman who had seemed so composed not long ago. “You want me to stop?” she teased, pulling out farther and thrusting back in a little harder.

“Don’t you dare!” Regina growled, putting her hands over Emma’s and pleading with her eyes: _harder_. “Harder, Emma …”

“Fine, but only because it’s your first time,” Emma smiled, usually enjoying being the one to decide what pace to set, but taking pity on the loving woman underneath her. She knew that for the rest of her life, her every pace could be dictated by Regina and she would never complain, but giving that information needlessly seemed like such a waste.

Heeding to Regina’s commands, Emma stilled her upper body and instead focused on isolating her hips and ramming them harder and harder into Regina until she heard at least one loud moan.

“Fuck! Yes! Fuck! Yes!” Regina gasped breathlessly as she looked up at the ceiling, dizzy with the feeling. Emma pushing in and out of her, deciding on how she would be pleasured, and that damn _rhythm_ … Regina thought she was going to see stars. How long had Emma been fucking her? And was it really fucking when the beautiful woman she was with wouldn’t look away from her for even a moment? She gasped again when she felt Emma’s thumb slip over her clit at lightening speed, taking care of her in the most blissful of ways.

Regina felt tears spring to her eyes as she approached her climax, screwing her eyes shut and calling out to warn her beautiful girlfriend. “Em-ma! Yes! Now! Now! Now! Now!”

And just like she crumpled into her orgasm, clutching at a pillow and the strap of Emma’s bra as her thighs clenched and the world around her seemed fuzzy at best.

Emma kept her exact position while she watched hungrily as Regina arched and came, feeling so much pleasure from the sight that she almost felt she’d climaxed herself.

“I … I just need a minute …” Regina panted as she remembered how to speak again, a sudden chill coming over her and clattering her teeth.

“You’re cold,” Emma cooed, lying between Regina’s legs and brushing the woman’s hair from her face. “And you … were … incredible. I love watching you, you know.”

“You … were … _so_ … good,” Regina lamely panted, nodding weakly when Emma warned she was going to pull the toy out of her and shivering when she felt empty again. There had been something so satisfying about Emma controlling something other than fingers inside of her. It was a very emotional experience for Regina who let Emma pull her in at her side and tuck her under the covers.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” Emma whispered lovingly, wrapping her arms around Regina and more than pleased with herself. Regina had cum so hard she cold barely speak. Emma grinned in victory. “How was that? … Care to share you feelings?”

Regina moaned in comfort and snuggled her cold feet up to Emma’s warm legs, smiling when Emma yelped at the temperature shock.

“Come on, how was it?” Emma whispered, taken aback when Regina looked up at her with tears in her eyes.

“It was incredible,” Regina whispered back, her bottom lip trembling with the overwhelming emotions of how expertly Emma had taken care of her and been so utterly considerate. Regina knew it was fast to be in love, but Emma was in love with her. _God_ , was it obvious. Regina wanted to melt in those forest-green eyes staring back at her, but she just couldn’t find the words.

“That good, huh?” Emma smirked as if she were besting Regina at something or other.

Regina snuggled in at Emma’s side a little tighter and beamed to herself at how perfect it felt to be there in Emma’s arms. “Absolutely perfect.”

 


End file.
